Tamers Forever 04: Theory of Chaos
by Daneel Rush
Summary: Two weeks after the Nightmare's fall, an evil Digimon's spell makes the Tamers go CRAZY! Will Takato find the source of his friends' strange behavior before it's too late? Rukato, of course!
1. The Chaos Within Me

DR: Okay, I guess it's time for a new story. The fourth installment of the "Tamers Forever" series is here. My last story brought a lot of controversy, especially with the Tai thing, but Tai's absence is a very important element I want to do a little thing I'm thinking of doing later. Now, just as my last fanfic was for plot development, this is essentially for "Rukato development". We'll leave the Digi-Destined alone for a while to focus on the Tamers' social life. That doesn't mean there won't be any battles. Actually, there will be a battle next chapter and a HUGE battle at the end, because there can't be a Daneel Rush Tamers Fic without Evil Takato breaking loose, huh? Anyway, before my ever-annoying muses arrive, I don't own Digimon, so don't even bother……Digimon Cards? Yes, I have a few, but…oh, no! You're not getting those! They're MINE! 

………ahem……ignore the last part………peace………

**THEORY OF CHAOS**

**Chapter 1**

**_The Chaos within Me_**

"Okay, everybody. This is a simple test to discover your knowledge about your country's history. This test won't affect your grades, so don't worry. You have thirty minutes, starting……now."

Everybody looked down at their test, preparing themselves for a long, tiring hour. Everyone but Takato Matsuki. He couldn't help but look right next to him. His best friend of the opposite gender (or at least that's what he likes to think), Rika Nonaka, looked at the piece of paper completely perplexed. Sweat was already forming on her forehead. Making sure Ms. Asagi wouldn't notice, Takato looked at the desk behind his, where Jeri Katou and Henry Wong had the exact same looks on their faces as Rika. If the group's smart guy, Henry Wong, was having problems with the test, then he was simply screwed.

Two weeks later, Takato found it impressive how the Nightmare crisis had passed unnoticed by everyone else but the Hypnos crew and the Tamers. The Internet breakdown had been explained as the actions of a new computer virus (which wasn't that far from the truth, after all). However, the search for the Nightmare's creator continued with no results. Takato doubted Yamaki would find the creator, but he was sure it wouldn't be the last from him. But Takato had another thing to worry about.

Takato looked at the exam for the first time. "Question No. 1: Mention the year of the fall of the Tokugawa dynasty and explain at least one reason of this event."

_Okay, now how I'm supposed to know that? I'm only twelve!_

_"January, 1868. The process began in the 1860s, when two centuries of self-imposed isolation were finished. Feudalism had been growing weaker because of the development of a money-based economy and the petition of the main countries like __USA__ for access to the Japanese ports for their trading business. The 'Unequal Treaties', signed during 1864 under the pressure of death threats created hostile reaction which contributed to the eventual fall of the reigning house, Tokugawa. Then, the direct Imperial government was restored under the name of Emperor Mutsuhito."_

_Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second! How do you-wait a second…I….no, you, no…oh, crap, just where does all that info comes from?_

_"It's my millenary knowledge, Matsuki. Did you forget who I…we are?"_

_Oh, yeah, yeah…'We are the Chaos'…_

_"Exactly."_

Takato sighed. Chaos, the manifestation of his darkside, and the very source of the world's darkness at the same time, was starting to become an important problem. His appearance in the Real World had been increasing dramatically with time, with consequences Takato would rather ignore……but that would be asking the sun not to come out every morning.

He didn't really care about his problems. His philosophy was waiting for things to happen and deal with them when the time comes. The problem was, someone else knew his little secret.

At the same time he wrote what he had managed to understand from Chaos' little explanation, Takato looked at Rika, whose paper was still blank. Obviously her history knowledge was just as vast as his……if you didn't notice, that was sarcasm. Takato had no time for silly history tests; he had questions of his own. For example, why did The Triad tell Rika about his problems? They had done nothing but giving her an unnecessary burden. However, something really curious had happened since then. Something he still couldn't classify as good or bad.

The thing is, Rika's attitude towards Takato had changed……a little. Obviously, she enjoyed humiliating him as if there were no tomorrow, beating him in the Card Game as if there were no tomorrow, pulling pranks on him as if there were no tomorrow, calling him names as if there were no tomorrow………but she wouldn't involve him in dangerous situations anymore. In the two wild Digimon merges which happened during the past two weeks, Rika had taken care of them before Takato could arrive. Obviously, she was making sure his body didn't weaken more than it already was. Takato felt grateful, of course, but there were two little problems. First, Guilmon was getting a little chubby from the lack of exercise (come on, look at him! How do those Digimon never get fat!?), and second…well, Rika's obsession for Takato's safety was getting annoying. Now Rika didn't only treat him as a piece of crap. She treated him as a piece of crap that would crack and become dust if it were touched.

Before Takato could realize he had been looking at Rika for too long, the redhead looked at him, with her trademark 'what are you looking at!?' look. 

_Come on, Takato, think something, fast!_

"January, 1868." He muttered. Rika's frown changed to an undoubtedly surprised look. Takato was the one who frowned then, being that his way to silently say 'what?' Rika looked away and proceeded to write. Takato sighed and looked at the paper again. "Question No. 2: What was the 'Era of the Belligerent States'?" 

_Hmm……I'm waiting……_

_"How is it that I'm supposed to do your schoolwork!? I'm Chaos! Not some sort of encyclopedia!"_

**You know, for once I agree with Evil Gogglehead…**

_Oh, come on!_

**Takato, you're cheating.**

_No, I'm not! We're technically the same person, so it's not cheating!_

**Oh, so now you play with semantics…**

_Let's look at things more carefully. Chaos, your only desire is taking control, and the only chances you have at doing that is when I fight, right?_

_"……what's your point?"_

_Our point, Chaos, our point. The thing is, if I fail this test, I'll probably end up on detention for like, the rest of the school year. We wouldn't like that, would we?_

_"Nice try, Takato. This test is not going to be checked, I heard it."_

_Oh, but you don't know Ms. Asagi the way I do……_

His alter ego's silence was priceless. Eventually, he got the answer he needed. _"Okay, but I'll dictate just once. Got it?"_

_Thanks!_

_"Grrr……the four centuries following the government's transfer to __Kyoto__ are known as the Heian Period. You know that, right?"_

_Hmm…nope, it sounds nice. Go on…_

_"Why did I end up in this body anyway? Well, these four centuries' main characteristic was the gradual collapse of the imperial power. The centralized imperial administration finally disappeared on the year of 1185, giving its place to a feudal government system, the 'shogunate', during the __Kamakura__ period. The __Kamakura__ had governed __Japan__ since the twelfth century and successfully organized the nation's defense against Kublai Khan's army, in the thirteenth century. But it fell on 1333, victim of political intrigues, their old-fashioned customs and the gradual erosion of their traditional personal loyalty bonds, the base of the __Kamakura__ feudal system."_

_Can you go a little slower? I'm kind of getting lost._

_"Don't provoke me, Matsuki, or you'll get a huge headache. Literally. Anyway, their successors, the Ashikaga, were never able to establish an effective control over the whole country. During most of the period between 1350 and 1600 Japan was wrapped in local and provincial wars, and the last century of the Ashikaga government is know, in a very appropriate way, as the Era of the Belligerent States. There, happy?"_

_Very much! ……Is it just me, or you keep track of everything that goes wrong on this country?_

_"Those were the good days, Takato……humans were so stupid they actually enjoyed it when I released my power……when will I get to wreak some havoc around here?"_

_Never, if I can prevent it._

_"We'll see……"_

Takato shook his head to ignore his counterpart's maniacal laughter. Eventually, the half hour ended and Ms. Asagi picked up the exams. The test's end coincided with lunch time, and the students left the classroom to rest, eat and relax. Well, most of them.  Jeri was the first to notice.

"Where's Takato?"

Everyone looked back, where Kazu and Kenta closed the group. "Wasn't he behind the two of you?" That was Rika. Kazu replied with a shrug. Big mistake. Before he could react, Rika had already grabbed him by his uniform. "Where is he!?" Kazu shrugged again, this time because fear wouldn't let him speak.

Meanwhile, Takato was in the middle of an important argument with Ms. Asagi.

"Can I?"

"No."

"Can I?"

"No."

"Can I?"

"No."

"Can I?"

"NO!"

Takato stood back. _I guess I got a little too annoying._

**A little?**

_Okay, I got very annoying._

"Pleeaaaaaase!"

"Takato, no! And that's my final answer!"

"Oh, but teacher! It won't be fun without them!"

"Takato, we're not going to have fun!"

"Teacher, we are going to the beach. How can you possibly say we're not going to have fun?"

The adult woman sighed. "Maybe, but I won't let you take your Digimon, and that's that."

"Oh, please……"

"Takato……"

**Seems like she has made a choice. You should leave while you can.**

_But I still haven't used my secret weapon!_

**I don't think I should ask…**

"Teacher, please!" Takato claimed, using the so-called secret weapon: The Ultimate Puppy Dog Eyes (now with more glimmering!). There was some much cuteness on that face that it was impossible not to say "awww…"

**I think I'm gonna throw up…**

_"That makes two of us…"_

Only Takato's mother and Rika Nonaka can resist the power of the UPDE, so it was a matter of time before Ms. Asagi fell.

"Oh, alright……but I don't take any responsibility for any damage they cause!"

_Alright!_

**Takato, that was sick and twisted.**

"Teacher, you know our Digimon are very educated."

"Takato, I've seen that Guilmon of yours."

**One point for the teacher!**

Takato sweatdropped. "Hehe, alright, I'll take care of him."

The teacher sighed. "Now, go before I change my mind…"

Takato immediately rushed out of the classroom, dancing in joy. "I'm so-o-o-o-o good!"

*POW!*

Takato shook his head and opened his eyes right before starting a round of apologies. "I'm so sorry, I should have been more careful!"

"Oh, yes, you should have, Gogglehead!"

This time it was Takato who ended up being grabbed by his uniform. Rika moved her face threateningly close to Takato.

"Where were you? We've been looking for you like crazy, you know? You weren't fighting a wild Digimon, were you? WERE YOU!?"

"Of course not!"

Those words said, and Rika released Takato, who thanked God for the ground he was standing on. Rika turned around and walked away a few steps before stopping again.

"Because if you were, I'll be the one who shortens your life span, Goggles!"

Takato gulped. Slowly, he followed the Digimon Queen, wondering why those things always happened to him.

*****Several hours later*****

Freedom was just seconds away. Takato and the team were already looking forward to the bell to ring. However, there was one last matter at hand that day, and that was the next day's excursion.

"Well, I received everyone's authorization, signed by your parents, and that's good. I hope you all remember the list of things you must take with you."

"Like your swimming suits!"

"Yes, Hirokazu…….Henry?"

Everyone looked at young Henry Wong, who had raised his hand to speak.

"Well, teacher…I was wondering……."

Ms. Asagi didn't have to be a genius to understand. "I already discussed that topic with Takato."

Henry and the other Tamers looked at their leader, who smirked in response. "And THAT'S what I was doing during lunch break."

Finally, the bell rang, and the young kids left school to rest and prepare to their trip to the beach the next day. They left in their usual groups: Kazu and Kenta left to play the card game as usual, Henry was walking Jeri home, and Takato was going to Guilmon's hut. As for Rika……

"Gogglehead!"

Takato didn't look back, waiting for Rika to eventually catch up with him. When that happened, he looked at the redhead with his usual smile.

"Yes?"

"So……what did she say?"

"……we can take them."

Rika hid the smile that was slowly forming on her face, deciding to stay silent. But Takato wouldn't let that happen, of course.

"So……where's Renamon?"

"I'm here."

"Waahhh! Oh, man! What's your problem, Renamon!?"

"But Rika asks me to-hmmph!" 

"What Renamon wants to say is that it's not her fault!" Rika interrupted while covering her partner's mouth.

"Whatever you say, Rika." Takato replied, not really believing his friend's words. It was long since he realized Renamon did that for her Tamer's entertainment. Takato decided to change the topic, as he had already noticed that Rika wasn't planning to go back to his house yet.

"So……looking forward to tomorrow?"

"……not really. Never been a beach fan."

"Oh, is that so?" Takato replied, a tinge of disappointment in his voice, which Rika didn't notice. Of course, Ruki did.

**Oh, were you looking forward to see her in her swimsuit, Gogglehead?**

_…………I have no comments._

"What about you, Goggles? Do you actually know how to swim?"

"Hey, that's mean!"

They eventually made it to Guilmon's place. Takato was actually waiting for his Digimon to jump on him, but then Takato and Rika realized Guilmon had company.

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

Holy Beast Digimon Calumon and Small Demon Digimon Impmon played rock-paper-scissors, while Guilmon sniffed……something. Then, the reptile Digimon noticed his Tamer's arrival, and jumped on him.

"Takato! Takato is here!"

"Yes, I'm here…" Takato replied from under his partner. Rika simply witnessed the scene.

"Cute, Gogglehead, very cute."

Both Tamers entered the small place, while Takato looked at the thing Guilmon had been so busy with before he arrived. Guilmon also noticed his Tamer's curiosity, and grabbing the object with his paw, showed it to Takato.

"What is this, Takato?"

Takato and Rika looked at the object, which turned out to be an audiocassette. Takato looked at Rika who smiled in return, and then Takato looked at his partner.

"This is a cassette, Guilmon. It's for listening to music…….where did you get this?"

"Someone dropped it out there, Takato………what's music?"

"Uh……"

Now that was a difficult question. How could Takato define music for a Digimon? Definitions like "the art of combining tones to form expressive compositions" or "any rhythmic sequence of pleasing sounds" weren't appropriate for someone like Guilmon, who had no idea of things like rhythm. It would be Rika who would solve Takato's predicament. Looking aside, Takato noticed that his friend was searching for something in her schoolbag. Rika released a smile of triumph when she showed Takato what she had been looking for: a Discman.

Rika prepared the CD that would be eventually played while Takato carefully placed the headphones on Guilmon's long ears.

"I'll have to wash those things later." Rika said, pointing at such headphones. Takato sweatdropped in response. Calumon and Impmon, curious about what the Tamers were planning, silently watched the scene unfolding. Rika looked at Impmon, then at Takato.

"You know, we could have used Beelzemon two weeks ago, don't you think?"

Takato nodded. "Yeah…where we you?"

Impmon shrugged. "Just…hanging around…"

Takato remained silent as he noticed that he actually didn't want to know. Finally, Takato gave Rika a thumbs-up and the redhead pushed the "Play" button.

Guilmon's eyes widened for a second because of the sudden sounds that invaded him. However, his expression eventually softened, to be changed to a look of curiosity.

"WHAT IS THIS, TAKATO?"

Everyone had to cover their ears. "You don't have to yell, Dinobaby!" Rika replied. Takato looked at him with a huge smile on his face.

"It's music, Guilmon."

"THIS IS MUSIC!?"

"Guilmon, really, YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL!"

"Rika, calm down!"

"Why is Guilmon shouting, Calu?"

"'Cause he is an idiot."

"Impmon!" Takato complained.

Finally, Rika preferred to take the headphones off Guilmon and putting the Discman in a safe place, like her backpack. Noticing Rika was about to leave, Takato shared some last words with her.

"So……I guess it's no swimming for you tomorrow, huh?"

"I said I didn't like the beach, I never said I wasn't going to swim."

Rika left, and I thank God for that, because who knows what she might have done if she had seen the stupid grin plastered on Takato's face.

**So you do get to see her in a swimsuit. Happy?**

_……like a dream come true……_

_"You seriously need to work on your aspirations, Takato."_

**And who says it? Mr. I-want-to-destroy-everything!**

_You stay away from this, woman wanna-be!_

**Why you……take this!**

*PZZT!*

_Hey! You shocked me!_

_"Us, Takato, IT shocked us!"_

_Who cares about you?_

**You said it, Takato! And I'm a she! Got that!?**

_"How can you be a she? You're a machine!"_

**You're walking on very thick ice, mister!**

_"Would you dare to hurt Takato just to get to me? Remember we are the same being."_

_Hmm…Ruki has never really cared about…_

*PZZT!!!!*

_…me……_

*****In a completely different dimension……*****

Eternal gray, shadows of a distant peace……a realm of infinite solitude and darkness, that's where the two tall figures stood. A barren land, devoid of any vegetal life. A gust of wind blew from the distant, sending waves of chilling death to the two Digimon. But they had grown used to it. It was their home, after all.

"I expect you to be able to follow such simple orders."

"Of course, milord. I'll find the one you're looking for."

"Opening the Gate to the Human World requires a great amount of energy. If I detect the slightest sign of possible betrayal, I'll make sure you pay."

"N-never, milord! I'd never think of betraying you! I'll enter the Human World and find the bearer of the Crest of Chaos."

_Yes……the Crest of Chaos…… The one addressed as "The Lord" thought. __I can't believe the Crest of Chaos has finally appeared. With its power, controlling the Gates won't be a problem anymore……did I say the Gates? I meant the Universes! With the power of Chaos within me, the other Crests will shatter in my hands! Every obstacle will be decimated! And my enemies…all of them……yes………I'm so close…………_

"Any……other instructions you want to give me, milord?" the other Digimon said. The Lord shook its head.

"No……I trust in your power to remain hidden. Just do as what I asked you to, and………"

"……yes?"

"………have fun."

Both Digimon smiled. "I will, sir. You can be sure of that."

**********************************************************************

**********************************************************************

End of chapter 1……

DR: Yeah, I know this chapter is kind of short, but it's just an introduction to the madness that will take place in the next chapters! Believe, Takato will be the only normal one in that place for a while, and that's saying a lot! Now, I'll wait for my muses to arrive, and then……let's get ready to rumble!!!!!!!

**Next Chapter:  It's beach time! Rika and her mother discuss swimming wear, Takato and a sugar-high Guilmon try not to arrive late, while Chaos and Ruki are not looking forward to the field trip. Everyone gets to see Rika in a swimsuit, not to Rika's pleasure, of course, since the Tamers are visited from good old Ryo Akiyama! A group of wild Digimon arrive to wreak some havoc, and Takato find the perfect opportunity to force Guilmon to do some much-needed exercise, risking his health in the process! And finally, the mysterious Digimon from who-knows-where arrives to do some hocus-pocus on the Tamers! Swimsuits, blue sea, Henry smacking, Rika wrestling, Terriermon-style pranks, an angry Jeri, bad-ass Digimon and our old-time favorite Gallantmon in the next chapter of "Theory of Chaos": Chaos at the Beach!**

Daneel Rush (daneel_ff@hotmail.com)


	2. Chaos At The Beach

DR: *Looking at his watch* 3…2…1……

Terriermon: Geronimo!!!!! *Crashes through the ceiling*

DR: Ladies and gentlemen, Terriermon! *Clapping is heard. Henry walks in the room. Clapping gets louder.* Well, at least ONE of my muses knows how to use the door. Henry, why didn't you make him land on the garden, or something? Don't tell me you don't know how to use a frickin' catapult!?

Henry: *sarcasm* Sorry.

DR: Oh, whatever, let's just go to the next chapter. Terriermon, wanna do the disclaimer?

Terriermon: Sure! Daneel Rush does not own me, or Gogglehead, or Digimon Queen, or Brainiac, or Visor Dude, or Four Eyes, or Puppet Girl, or Mr. Perfect, or…

DR: CAN'T YOU JUST SAY I DON'T OWN DIGIMON!?

Terriermon: I'm just filling up space! Last chapter was very short, you know?

DR: Oh, shut up and let's begin……

**THEORY OF CHAOS**

**Chapter 2**

**_Chaos at the Beach_**

****

****

"And I'm definitely not wearing THAT!"

Rika's mother groaned as her daughter rejected the twenty-seventh swimsuit that night. Why did she reject the last one, you ask? To not go into further details, it was a two-piece. "But Rika……"

"Mother, I'm twelve years old!"

"At your age I was already dating."

"I can tell……"

Ouch. Direct hit and Rika walked outside the room, leaving her mother thinking about her daughter's words. But Rika wouldn't get to her bedroom that easily.

"That was very mean, Rika."

"But she can't force me to wear something just because it's from the brand that sponsors her modeling career, grandma!"

"Maybe, but that's no excuse to speak to your mother in that way."

Rika sighed. After all, her grandmother was right. Dragging the rest of the body along with her feet, she backtracked to her mother's room, where she still remained silent. "Mom……" _I'm definitely not good at this!  "……I……I shouldn't have said that. But may I choose my own swimsuit, please?" __After all, I may not use it at all……_

As soon as Rika said those words, her mother turned back to look at her, any signs of anger or sadness completely gone. "Of course, sweetheart! Now, which one do you want?" she said cheerfully.

Rika sweatdropped. _How can she do that!? "Hmm……I guess…….I guess I'll take this one." Rika said while she picked up a simple one-piece dark blue swimsuit. Her mother groaned again before picking up a one-piece pink one with a flower on the right side of the waistline. _

"But what about this one? It's so cute!"

Rika slightly inclined her head to the right, holding the urge to gag. _This is gonna be a long night………_

Rika then noticed something unusual. Looking to her right, she found Renamon curiously looking at the pile of swimsuits on the floor. Then, she picked a two-piece which left not very much to men's imagination. Looking at her Tamer, she spoke. "What about this one?"

"THAT'S IT!!!! GOOD NIGHT!" Rika shouted before storming out of the room, ignoring her family's laughs. If she had looked back for one last time, she might have seen her partner's slight smile, which gave a hidden beauty to Renamon's vulpine features.

****The Next Day………*****

"I'm late!!!!!!!"

More hurriedly than the usual, Takato rushed down the stairs, and dashed to the door. Of course, that didn't go unnoticed.

"Takato, your breakfast!" His mother shouted.

Takato quickly ran to the kitchen and grabbed his breakfast. "Must eat it on the way!" Then he ran to the door.

"Takato, your lunch!"

Takato returned and saved his lunch in his backpack. "Bye mom!"

"Takato, Guilmon's food!" Takato's mother shouted before he could leave. For the third time, Takato backtracked to pick the day-old bread. He was about to leave when……

"Takato!"

"WHAT NOW!?"

"No……just wanted so wish you good luck……sorry."

"Oh, jeez, sorry mom…"

"Okay, okay, I understand you are in a hurry. Now go and have a great time."

"Thanks mom! See you, mom! Bye dad!"

And Takato finally left, leaving his parents with a smile on their faces while they shook their heads. "Boys these days……always in such a rush……"

I could stay and describe the Matsuki's day at the bakery, but that would be BORING, so I'll go back to Takato. His next stop was Guilmon's place, as he had to pick him to go together to the field trip. He arrived there in record time, running through Shinjuku in "Matsuki Hurricane" mode.

"Guilmon, time to go!"

"Yay!" As usual, the virus Digimon jumped on top of Takato, sending him straight to the floor. Takato groaned in pain while Guilmon ran around him as if there were no tomorrow. "We're going to the beach! We're going to the beach! We're going to the beach……" he finally stopped.

"What's the beach?"

Takato slowly got up. "Guilmon, you've already been in a beach. Remember? It's that place where there's tons of water."

But Guilmon wasn't really paying attention. He was already sniffing the bag with bread Takato had with him.

"Yay! Guilmon bread! Takato, I want Guilmon bread!"

"Guilmon, if you eat now you'll have nothing left for the trip."

"Trip? Which trip?" A voice from inside asked. Once again, Impmon and Calumon were in the small hut. But the extreme amount of empty candy wrapping was what got Takato's attention. "Where did all that candy come from?"

"Impmon brought it last night! We've been eating for hours, Calu!"

Takato looked at Guilmon again. The reptile Digimon was moving his head in random direction, looking at everywhere and nowhere at the same time (Have you seen a hen? How they move their heads like crazy? Well, that's the idea). Takato sighed. _Too much sugar in his system……that's definitely not good._

"Anyway, we're leaving. Impmon, can you watch the fort while Guilmon's away?"

"Hey, who do you think I am, pineapple head!? Your guardian dog!?"

"I knew you'd say yes! Thanks!" Takato replied, already running down the stairs separating the cabin from the main walkway, Guilmon right behind him. Impmon groaned and kicked the nearest thing he found in frustration, which turned out to be Calumon.

"Hey! What was that for, you meanie!?"

"Hmm…well, I kind of want to play soccer right now." Impmon lied. Calumon jumped in joy. "Soccer!? Calumon can play soccer, calu! Let's go!"

Impmon groaned. _And I had to open my mouth…… he thought as the white In-Training Digimon dragged him outside the hut._

***Inside the school bus***

The bus was crowded, of course. Children and Digimon took a lot of space, you know? Even without Renamon, who was on the bus' roof, Guilmon and Guardromon took most of the space in the back seats, where the Tamers had reunited. Hirokazu, Kenta, Jeri and Henry filled the back seat, while Guadromon and Guilmon took the seat in front and to the right, and Takato and Rika the one to the left. And speaking of our favorite couple…

*poke*

"Hmm……"

*poke, poke*

"Hmm……."

A sleeping Takato groaned and tried to move away from the finger that insisted in poking him, which was impossible, as Rika was right next to him. Jeri was the one who complained.

"Rika, leave him alone! Can't you see he's sleeping?"

"If he keeps like that he's going to miss the whole trip." Rika replied. Terriermon, who rested on Henry's lap, spoke in return.

"Well, it's obvious that Takato spent the whole night wondering which type of swimsuit would Ri-ouch, Henry!"

Henry moved away the fist he had used to hit his partner. "Have you heard of the word 'tact', Terriermon?"

"Isn't that the sound your grandpa's pacemaker does?"

Henry groaned. "Terriermon!"

"What?"

Rika shook her head and looked at the one next to her, who was trapped in his very own dream world, and speaking of that……

***Takato's dream world***

Three people were sitting in front of a table, two boys and one girl, each one drinking a different beverage. The first one was Takato Matsuki, wearing his usual clothing and his usual goofy smile while he took a sip of his orange juice. The other boy was Takato Matsuki, too, but he was wearing black baggy pants, a dark blue t-shirt covered with a black jacket, much like Henry's. The outfit was completed by black tennis shoes and black goggles. His eyes were piercing and they showed the being's dark intentions. He was drinking a cup of wine. The girl was very pretty, and her long, brown hair almost reached her waist. She had piercing violet eyes and a very sweet smile. She was wearing a red dress that went from below her shoulders to approximately three or four inches above her knees. She also had a pair of red, high-heeled pumps and a tiny red purse, as shiny as the dress itself.

"So……" the dark Takato began, sipping his cup of wine in the process. "……where are we actually going, Takato?"

Nice Takato sighed. "I tell you for like the hundredth time, we're going to the beach, Chaos!"

"But salty water is a catastrophe to my circuits!" the girl complained.

"I don't plan to go swimming, Ruki." Takato replied. "I'm too tired to do that. You should thank my alter-ego here for doing that."

Ruki shoot a glare at Chaos. "What did you do to him!?"

"Me? Don't look at me, I didn't do anything!" Chaos replied matter-of-factly. Takato snorted.

"You only let me sleep at four-o-clock, Chaos! I had to keep you from taking control the whole night! That wasn't fun, you know!?" Takato shouted, before noticing something. "How come you know nothing about that, Ruki? Now that I think about it, you didn't help me at all last night."

Ruki nervously fidgeted with her glass of…something, avoiding the boy's looks.

"Yeah, Ruki, what were you doing that was so important to leave poor Takato alone with me?" Chaos said. "……which sounds weird, as I am Takato, too, so I was alone with myself, or he was alone with me, or I with him, or me with me, or him with him, or……damn, I'm getting a headache."

"I was…well………sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Takato replied.

"I put myself into idle mode." Ruki explained meekly. Takato exploded.

"'Idle mode'!? You have an idle mode!? When were you planning to tell me, when Chaos takes control and I become nothing but an insignificant trace in his mind? You decided to go sleep right when I needed you the most!? I thought we were friends, Ruki!"

Takato angrily got up and looked away. Ruki soon got up, too and walked in front of him. "Takato, please forgive me!"

Chaos smirked a little, taking another sip of his wine. "This should be interesting……"

"Takato, I'm so sorry, I had no idea that……" She glared at Chaos, and then looked at Takato with a pleading look. "…beast was going to bother you!"

"Hey, have some respect…" Takato replied. "……he may be a bastard, but he's still a part of me, you know?"

Chaos laughed a little bit. "You're totally screwing yourself, Ruki."

"YOU SHUT UP!" Ruki shouted, and then looked at Takato again. "Please, Takato, I'm really sorry, I'll do anything!"

That got Takato thinking. "Anything……that gives me an idea……" Takato said, looking at Chaos with a smirk you would expect from Chaos. The dark Takato gulped, fearing for a second Takato's possible revenge.

"Ruki………I want you to……" Takato began, pointing at Chaos. "I want you to French-kiss him!"

"WHAT!?" Chaos screamed, immediately standing up. "Why don't you just throw me to a pool filled with white sharks!?"

"I'll do anything but that, Gogglehead!" Ruki complained, her pleading look suddenly changing to one of anger.

"Too bad. See you, then." Takato said, walking away. Ruki bit her lower lip. After all, Takato was her owner, and he was angry with her, he could easily retaliate against her in terrible ways. He could even delete her, if he discovered the way………there was no other choice……unless………

"Takato!" Rika shouted. Takato stopped and looked back, just to see how Ruki wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to a French kiss.

Chaos kept checking a watch that popped out of nowhere until the boy and the girl separated, both desperately filling their lungs with air.

"Four minutes and thirty seven seconds………not bad." Chaos said with a smirk. Takato only spoke when he was done dealing with the shock.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?"

Ruki smirked. "Well, Chaos and you are the same person, so if I kiss you, I am technically kissing him, too, and I definitely prefer kissing that…..him." Ruki shuddered a little at the idea of kissing Chaos.

"The girl has a point. Actually, I kind of felt a little bit, too. For a machine, she's a damn good kisser."

Takato growled. "Fine! You win! You're forgiven! But just because I liked it!"

Realizing what he had just said, he covered his mouth with his hands. But the damage was done. Both Chaos and Ruki looked at him with eyes the size of golf balls.

"Never say that again!" Chaos shouted. "Remember I'm a part of you, too!"

Ruki simply remained silent. "I guess…this is a good time to wake up breathing heavily, right?" Takato concluded.

"Definitely." Chaos muttered.

***The Bus***

"Waaahhh!!!" Takato opened his eyes to the world, breathing heavily. Of course, he caught the attention from everyone in the bus.

"Takato, is something wrong?" Ms. Asagi said as she got up and walked to Takato's seat. 

"I……I just had a bad dream, that's all." Takato said meekly. Terriermon snickered.

"I bet he dreamt of Rika telling him she was going out with Ryo or something."

A hand closed around Terriermon's neck and threw him out of the window.

"Rika!" Henry complained.

"Calm down, Brainiac. We're just about to arrive, he won't have to walk that much."

Ms. Asagi continued insisting. "You don't look well to me, Takato."

"I……I just didn't sleep well last night, that's all."

That got the Tamer's attention, especially Rika's. "And may I ask why?" the teacher continued. Takato sighed before showing his trademark smile.

"It was all the excitement because of today's excursion, you know? Going to the beach and all…"

_You're a terrible liar, Gogglehead……_

The bus suddenly stopped, signaling that they had arrived. Ms. Asagi got busy organizing the class, so she stopped paying attention to Takato. The Tamer with goggles waited for everyone to leave to get up slowly, as he felt completely drained of energy. His life as a Tamer, holding off Chaos and the Omnivice's continuous feeding of his energy supplies to work were finally affecting him.

**Takato……are you okay?**

Takato blushed a little bit as he heard Ruki's voice in his mind. _I just had the weirdest dream, Ruki……_

**I know.**

_How come?_

**………because that wasn't a dream.******

*** It's beach time, yeah! ***

It was a nice Friday day at the beach: the warm sun, the cool waters, the soft sand……and Takato wasn't enjoying at all.

"It's so hot……I'm so tired……I can't swim……"

**Takato, I think it would have been better if you hadn't come……**

_What!? And miss what could be a unique opportunity!?_

**I don't want to know what you're talking about…**

Takato looked to his right. Rika had returned from a walk somewhere, and it seemed like she was up to some swimming. Takato looked at the sea, where most of the students had forgotten the whole "rest after eating" crap and were enjoying themselves. Ms. Asagi was reading a book under the shadow of a huge umbrella, and an exhausted Guilmon rested right next to him. It seemed like he didn't like the hot place. Kazu and Kenta seemed to be having a water war in the open sea, while Guardromon watched them from the coast, unable to swim with them. Jeri was taking a sun bath (Takato loved Henry's face when Jeri asked him to put some…stuff, as Chaos called it, on her). Elecmon was sleeping next to his Tamer, and MarineAngemon was covering him with wet sand. Renamon, Henry and Terriermon were nowhere to be seen. 

_But who cares about them!? Takato thought while looking at Rika. The twelve-year-old redhead, who was bored out of her mind, decided that swimming for a little while was the only near-to-entertaining thing she could do. She was about to take off her t-shirt, when…_

"Looking forward to it, huh, Gogglehead?"

Takato looked right behind him to see……

"YOU!!!!"

Takato's yell got Rika's attention, and the girl looked at the palm tree he was leaning on, to meet the cheesy smile of…

"YOU!!!" Rika shouted, too, covering herself immediately. She walked the thirty feet that separated them in three seconds, and poked the newcomer's chest with her right index finger.

"What are YOU doing here!?"

"I guess the same as you and you friend the Gogglehead: having fun." Ryo Akiyama, self-proclaimed Digimon King, replied.

"You are not welcome here, Akiyama!" Rika insisted. Ryo shook his head, with that smile never leaving his face.

"Last time I checked this was a public place, Rika."

"So I guess it's a coincidence you showed up, here, huh?" Takato's voice barely reached their ears, but Rika and Ryo both looked down at Takato. Ryo was surprised of Takato's words, Rika was surprise at the way he had said it. Takato suddenly stood up, Guilmon waking up by the sudden move.

"Excuse me."

Both Tamer and Digimon walked away from the group. "Now what's wrong with him?" Ryo asked the redhead. Rika shrugged in response, then she realized she was having a polite conversation with Ryo Akiyama, so she left with a "hmph!".

"Isn't there anyone who likes me in this place?" Ryo asked to himself. A voice from far away reached his ears.

"Kenta, look, isn't that Ryo!?"

"Yes, it's him!"

"Cool! Let's go!"

Ryo groaned. "Me and my big mouth……and you shut up!" he finished looking at Monodramon, whose snickering had also reached his Tamer's hearing range.

***Henry and Terriermon***

"What are you doing?" Terriermon asked his Tamer. After a long walk from where Rika had thrown him to the beach, Terriermon believed he at least had the right to stay on Henry's head.

"Can't you see? I was thirsty, so I bought a soda."

"That's not what I meant! I mean, haven't you looked around you?"

Henry did as his partner told him. After a rather long walk, they had reached a more crowded area of the beach. He was surprised with the amount of people gathered at that place. After all, summer holidays were over weeks ago. "I see a lot of people who probably skipped work for a day."

"Man, you're slow." Terriermon said while shaking his head. Then, he grabbed Henry's head and forced it to move at a certain location. "Look at there!" He moved Henry's head again. "And there!" And once again. "And there!!! See what I mean?"

Henry groaned when he finally understood. What Terriermon wanted him to see were……

Girls. Lots of them. Some of them taller, some were shorter. Blondes, brunettes, some of them had red hair just like Rika's. Some had it long, some to shoulder-length…….some had their skin tanned, and some of them had their skin white as milk.

"Girls……" Henry muttered in annoyance. Terriermon sighed in exasperation.

"Not just 'girls', Henry, girls in swimsuits! What are you waiting for!? Go there, and show me some of that Hong Kong Gang Bang Wong Charm your father always tells me about!"

"Terriermon, my father would never tell you something like that."

"Okay, okay, maybe he's never told me something like that, but you got the idea!"

"Terriermon, I'm twelve! I don't have the age, the looks or the interest to score with a teenager!"

"Oh, come on, this is a crazy world! Once I saw a fifty-year-old fatso hanging out with a girl your sister's age."

"Suzie?"

"YOUR OTHER SISTER!"

"Oh……but that's a different situation, Terriermon. Those 'relationships' are based in money, and I definitely don't want that."

"Gosh, you're so boring……"

Henry sat on the warm sand and relaxed while he drank his soda. Meanwhile, Terriermon was plotting and planning. He first looked for an objective. He saw a lone girl, fourteen or fifteen years old, walking in their direction: long black hair, big black eyes, slender body, provocative lips (_Is she using lipstick?) and a very nice pair of……ahem, legs. Time for the initial approach. His Henry had to leave that beach with at least one phone number._

"Hey, cute thing, why don't you come here for some fun? You can invite your two friends, too."

Henry opened his eyes in sheer terror. He actually expected what happened next. He looked at the girl, and, of course, the girl was looking at him with a glare that could freeze hell. He prayed that she would ignore him and go on, but she didn't. Terriermon had obviously noticed something was wrong and changed to "Stuffed Animal" mode. The "cute thing" approached menacingly, shooting daggers at Henry.

"But-but-but I……I didn't……it was……him……Te-Te-Terriermon……"

The girl looked at Terriermon, then at Henry. "Yeah, right. The stuffed animal said it."

"But it is-"

*SMACK!*

"Pervert!" The girl shouted before walking away. Henry caressed his sore cheek.

"I would expect everyone to recognize you as a Digimon at this point……" Henry complained.

"I don't understand……why did the girl react like that?"

"Is that your idea of flirting, Terriermon!?"

"But I saw this guy on TV who…"

"ENOUGH!" Henry shouted, indicating that the conversation was over.

"Momentai! I'll make it up to you somehow, Henry, I promise!"

_I'd rather leave things as they are……but knowing him, I guess that's not very bound to happen……_

They remained silent for a very uncomfortable minute.

"She was hot, huh?" Terriermon finally muttered.

"Yeah……wait a darn minute……Terriermon!"

But he couldn't stop the small animal Digimon from laughing.

*** Takato, yeah! ***

He couldn't help it. He knew it was wrong, he knew Ryo hadn't done anything wrong, he knew he was just trying to be a friend……a crazy, narcissist, extremely annoying friend, but a friend, after all. He knew all that……but he still couldn't help but hate him at times.

_It's not fair! Rika may argue with him all the time, but she at least respects him as a Card Game Player. And what about me!? I'm just a Gogglehead…_

**Well, you can always be the best Gogglehead there is!**

_That's not very comforting…actually; it's not comforting at all!_

**Forgive me for trying!**

_Sorry……I have no right to lash out at you……_

**No problem……but I might ask you to kiss Chaos, too…**

_How do I kiss myself, Ruki?_

**……good point……darn…**

_"Oh, is little Takato angry?"_

_You were taking too long to show up……_

_"Let me take care of it! I have the power!"_

_I may dislike Ryo at times, but I don't want him to die, either!_

_"……party pooper……"_

**You stay out of Takato's problems!**

_"Hey, Takato's problems are my problems, too! I'm Takato! I'm just offering him the easiest solutions…"_

**Oh, shut up……you just want to take control of his body!**

_"True……but I won't force it anymore……"_

**……you won't?**

_"Yeah, I have no hurry. It's a matter of time before I take control. The original me…your Takato is getting weaker every minute……soon enough, I'll take control and be the only Takato………the way it was supposed to be since the beginning!"_

**What's that supposed to mean!?**

_"Isn't it obvious? I'm the real Takato. His true personality, which was hidden within his mind. I'm the maximum expression of his personality. I'm everything he is, and more! I'm strong, I'm clever, I have the confidence he lacks, the ability he lacks, the fighting spirit he lacks! I'm the perfect Takato! The Takato you befriended is nothing but a shell, created by the Digital World itself to try to keep me hidden. But it's a shell, anyway, a shell that is bound to crack……"_

**That's not going to happen! Right, Takato? Takato……**

_"See? He's exhausted, and he's fallen asleep. Now it's my turn to have fun."_

**No! Don't do anything crazy!**

_"Crazy? Nah……I'm just going to show Takato the way things should be done……let's give that Ryo guy a lesson……"_

**Stop!**

But he didn't stop. Takato (yes, it's Chaos, but it's Takato!) got up and looked for his partner. "Guilmon!" he asked with a commanding voice. Soon enough, the Digimon returned, but he was holding something. "Takato, what is this?"

Guilmon's curiosity wouldn't be satisfied until he answered, so an exasperated Takato took the object from Guilmon's paw. He smiled at what he saw. It was a cold, ruthless smile. _This is……_

"This is female underwear, Guilmon. Where did you find it?"

Guilmon's paw pointed to the opposite direction of where the rest of the class was. Takato and Guilmon had walked southwest along the coastline and they were in a completely deserted area. Only one other person had walked in that direction, as far as he remembered, and that person was……

_The Nonaka girl must have dropped it when she came earlier……oh, well, I guess I could use a souvenir……my nice side, that is……_

Only when he placed Guilmon's discovery in his pocket he noticed the strange fog that was slowly surrounding him.

"Takato……" Guilmon began, his face already contorted in a feral look.

"I know……I could use a warm up."

_Oh, yes……it's been a while since I last made some exercise……I can't let ChaosGallantmon lose its shape……_

***Henry***

Henry let go a loud yawn. He was getting sleepy, but he had a long walk ahead of him.

"Terriermon……"

"Huh?" Terriermon said suddenly. Henry had interrupted his deep thinking. "Still think of a way to correct your mistake? Forget it…"

"No way! I have to get you a cute chick's number before we leave!"

Henry sighed. "Well, good luck…anyway, we have to go back before we fall asleep and they leave us here. You don't want to walk all the way back home, do you?"

"No way!"

"Well, let's……"

Henry had walked in the opposite direction as Takato. However, the same fog was slowly filling the entire area. "Terriermon, is that what I think it is?"

"Yep, Digital Fog……there's a wild one around here."

"Why here? Why now!?"

"Oh, what the hell, we'll just kick his butt."

Henry walked closer to the sea, almost waiting the enemy to come out of there. _Thank God there isn't a shark Digimon or something……_

"Aaaaaahhh!!!!"

"Terriermon, get ready."

"Ready? I'm always ready!"

Suddenly, two figures came out of the deep waters, spreading panic through the massive amount of swimmers in that place. Before he could ask anyone to calm down, the beach was being cleared out. Everyone was moving away from the shore, but most of them still stayed to watch the "monsters"…at a safe distance, of course. A lifeguard approached Henry when he was the only one standing on the shore.

"Kid, you should get out of……wait, you are!?"

Henry looked at the tall man in front of him. "I'll handle this."

Terriermon complained as soon as the man left. "WE'LL handle this, Henry!"

"Whatever……"

However, a voice from behind caught his attention. "Hey, it's him! It's the kid!"

Both Henry and Terriermon looked at the source of the voice between the unexpected audience. "Hey, it's the cutie!" Terriermon exclaimed as he jumped out of Henry's head and walked closer to her. Obviously, that caused the girl to gasp in surprise.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said. Henry always tells me to treat girls nicely, but I couldn't help it. But Henry really wants to know from which part of heaven you come from, because we don't get to see angels like you everyday."

"TERRIERMON, CAN WE PLEASE DO OUR JOB!?"

"I'm on my way, Henry!" Terriermon looked at the cutie one last time. "Henry's calling me. He's such a workaholic. Anyway, see ya."

Henry sighed as he watched Terriermon approach and sweatdropped when he noticed the cutie had changed the way she looked at him. Shaking his head, he took out his D-Power and his deck of cards (never leave home without it!).

_Hey, we've seen this one before! Tylomon, a Champion/Armored Digimon (Gatomon + Digiegg of Faith), Ocean Dragon Digimon, Vaccine Type. Probably the fastest sea Digimon, her Torpedo Attack and Terror Plankton should be handled with extreme caution._

Henry then looked at the other one, which was a oldie from the Digimon TV show.

_MarineDevimon__, an Aquatic Beast Man Digimon, Ultimate Level, Virus Type. This demon of the sea wraps its enemies with its Neck Hanging attack, but never forget its Guilty Black skill or his Pressure!_

Henry looked at the two Digimon, then at Terriermon, and finally at the whole place. _We won't even need MegaGargomon for this… he thought with a smile._

***Takato***

_"Ruki, data."___

**………**

_"Ruki!"___

**…….Why should I help you!? You're……evil!**

_"Evil…I'm not evil. I'm just……misunderstood."_

**Yeah, right, and I'm really a butcher from ****Nagasaki****.**

_"……whatever.__ The thing is, I'm your Master, and you must listen to me."_

**I only listen to Takato!**

_"How many times do I have to tell you that I'M TAKATO!?"___

**But I'll never listen to you!**

_"You're really getting on my nerves……I do nothing to you when my…imperfect half is around, but now that he's in dream land, I could do some pretty naughty things to you…"_

**You-you-you-you wouldn't dare!**

_"……try me."_

The enemy Digimon's data finally appeared. _"Good girl……"_

_Scorpiomon__, an Ancient Crustacean Digimon, Ultimate Level, Data type. He traps his enemies with his Stinger Surprise and finishes them off with his lethal Tail Blade!_

"……piece of cake." Takato said, then looked at the sea. "Come on, I know you're out there. Don't be a wuss and show your ugly face."

A small figure appeared from underwater.

_Pukumon__, a Mutant Digimon of the Virus Type, Mega Level. This fast Digimon from the deep specializes in close combat, and his Needle Squall and Briten Punch are proof of it._

Takato knew better than to underestimate a Mega Digimon just because of his size. Takato looked at Guilmon. "Well…guess it's our time, huh?"

Guilmon nodded happily. "Let's do our best!"

"Yeah, whatever." "_He has no idea……" "Bio-merge, activate!"_

Nothing happened. _"Ruki!__ Why doesn't the bio-merging protocols activate!?"_

**I'm not going to let you Digivolve, you cre-Aaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!**

Takato enjoyed Ruki's cries of pain. _"I warned you. Now, I'm being light with you, just because of the little respect I have my……less useful side. But if I use more power, I'll cause permanent damage to your circuits. Being a machine, you don't stand a chance against my mind power."_

"Well, with that said, why don't we give it a try again?"

**MATRIX EVOLUTION**

**Bio-merge Activate**

**OMNI-TAMER……**

"Guilmon, digivolve to………ChaosGallantmon!"

Takato smiled inside his black and red sphere. "Much better. Thank you very much, Ruki."

**………………………**

_"Why are you so mad, Ruki? These wild Digimon might attack the people; I'm doing a good thing, aren't I?"_

**……you're just doing it for fun! I'm sure this Digimon are a smaller threat than you!**

_Heh__, you do have a point there……two points, now that I think about it! __Does Guilmon have something to say?_

Guilmon replied with a barely audible growl, product of his viral side taking over. "Okay, Cyberdramon." Takato replied with a chuckle. Then, he noticed a pair of tentacles going straight towards him. He quickly moved aside to evade them, to see they were Scorpiomon's. "Oh, you're very daring, big one. I like that."

ChaosGallantmon ran right in front of him, evading both tentacles with a 360º turn and then leaping right above the giant Ultimate, landing gracefully right behind him, the Dark Knight's back facing him. The black lance was glowing menacingly.

"Tail Blade!"

ChaosGallantmon didn't even need to look at Scorpiomon. He just raised his left arm, and the crustacean's tail impacted it. "Are you done? Then I guess it's my turn."

The virus Mega Digimon turned around to attack.

"Demon's Disaster!"

"Needle Squall!"

ChaosGallantmon had to move aside and cover himself with his shield, causing his attack not to hit its target. Looking at the sea, where Pukumon had already submerged again, Takato smirked. "So it's two-against-one, huh? Very well, that will be interesting. Big guy over there didn't stand a chance alone, anyway."

***Henry***

**MATRIX EVOLUTION**

"Terriermon, digivolve to…Gargomon! Gargomon, matrix digivolve to……Rapidmon!"

The cyborg Digimon immediately flew to the open sea, to face the Ultimate and the Armored Digimon that were there. A round of cheers and applauses soon followed. Henry sweatdropped, expecting his partner's comments.

"Henry, do you think I can sign some autographs after this is done?"

"Rapidmon, I doubt your hands can even hold a pen."

"Then who do you think has been sending you all those fake love letters?"

"TERRIERMON!"_ That explains why the letters had the orthography and calligraphy of a four-year-old, though._

Henry immediately searched through his deck of cards, searching for the card he needed. He already had a great plan, but…

"No, no, no…definitely not! No……oops……"

"What is it?"

"I don't have an Electric Digimon card! One electric attack in the water would have put an end to those Digimon right away!"

"……too bad. Guess we'll have to use the usual, then."

"……………………..The usual?"

Rapidmon's speed allowed him to dash behind MarineDevimon with great ease. "Rapid Fire!"

The attack collided with the massive virus Digimon, who roared in response and looked at the much smaller Ultimate. "Uh oh……Henry!"

"Oh, come on, don't be a wuss! You're faster and you have the type advantage, now kick his digital rear!!" _Did I just say that?_

"Guilty Black!"

Rapidmon easily avoided the attack thrown at him, soon followed by MarineDevimon's two massive tentacles. But what he wasn't ready for was Tylomon.

"Torpedo Attack!"

The aquatic Digimon leapt out of the water to ram at Rapidmon's back, which let go a shrieking yell.

"Rapidmon!" Henry shouted, now genuinely worried. The crowd behind him gasped. However, Rapidmon didn't waste time to start complaining.

"How is it that they are helping each other!? That's not fair! Call the others!"

"Terriermon, I don't have a cell phone with me! Or a D-Terminal, before you ask!"

·"Why couldn't you just be a Digi-Destined?" Rapidmon mumbled before facing the two Digimon. Actually, he just faced MarineDevimon, because Tylomon had returned to its hiding place in the sea. But he had a plan. Something he had seen Gallantmon do a few weeks before. He concentrated in his next attack.

"Golden Triangle!" he shouted, aiming at MarineDevimon. He heard what he expected right after he launched the attack.

"Torpedo Attack!"

But Tylomon was as fast as Rapidmon, so the android Digimon couldn't turn in time to attack the Armored Digimon. Ignoring the pain and the attack he had just launched, he attacked right after the damage was received.

"Rapid Fire!"

But Tylomon once again proved that she was very fast by hiding in the deep ocean before the missiles collided with her body.

"MarineDevimon!" Henry's voice echoed right behind him. Rapidmon turn back with his eyes closed, almost expecting to be rammed from behind, but that didn't happen. When he opened his eyes, MarineDevimon wasn't there. "Huh? Where is he?"

"You deleted him!" Henry shouted excitedly. "Your Golden Triangle deleted him!"

Rapidmon enjoyed the audience's cheering and clapping. "Oh, yeah! I'm number one!" he shouted so that everyone could listen.

"Torpedo Attack!"

It was a direct impact which sent Rapidmon straight to the sea. The crowd gasped, some girls sobbed silently……and Henry sweatdropped.

_He can be such a moron at times…… "Digi-modify! Max Charger, activate!"_

****** The other Tamers……thought I had forgotten about them, huh? *****

Rika and the others noticed the fog's appearance when it was too late. Rika and Ryo summoned the others for an emergency meeting. Ms. Asagi and the other students watched them from a distance. "Renamon……" Rika whispered. As expected, the data Digimon appeared right next to her, much to Ryo's dismay.

"Now I understand why Takato is so nervous…." Ryo mumbled as Renamon had appeared right behind him. Rika let go a little smile which immediately disappeared. "Have you checked the situation?"

Renamon nodded. "A MarineDevimon and a Tylomon appeared over there. Henry and Rapidmon are fighting them right now."

Everyone ignored Jeri's gasp. Renamon continued. "…I haven't seen what's going on the other side, but from what I can hear and see from here……"

She stopped speaking for a few seconds, listening to the distant sounds of fierce explosions. Then, she looked at the Tamers, looking for the one missing. She sighed when she realized who it was. "……I can tell Takato is fighting over there."

Rika also noticed Takato's absence, and her fists immediately clenched. "That Gogglehead……I thought I was clear enough when I told him to avoid any struggle!"

Ryo let go his usual smile. "Rika, he's just doing his job! Let him be."

Of course, Rika was unable to stand Ryo's cockiness, so she exploded right in from of him. "You have no idea, Ryo Akiyama, so you better shut up!" Then she lowered her head and muttered something while looking at the direction where Takato was fighting. "You have no idea……"

_Did I…just detect a tinge of sadness there? Ryo thought, his smile suddenly fading. "Then we better split in to groups. I'll go check on Takato."_

"I'm going, too!" Rika exclaimed with fierce determination. At the sight of Ryo's smile, she continued. "Not because of you!" When Ryo's smiled grew wider, she finished. "Or him, for that matter!" But everyone saw the pink color forming on her cheeks.

"I…guess I'll go help Henry." Jeri replied.

"And we're going with R-hey!" 

Kazu complained because Jeri was already dragging him by his left earlobe. "I think Takato has enough help as it is. We're going to check on Henry."

Kenta silently followed. He knew better than to piss off Jeri. Elecmon closed the path, the thrill of the upcoming battle tensing his muscles.

*** Henry……yes, Henry. I'm saving the best for last, okay? Not saying that Henry is boring, but……oh, you get the idea! ***

Rapidmon was getting tired. Avoiding Tylomon's attacks while floating on the monotonous sea could get boring after a while. And with Tylomon only leaving his hiding place for very short instants, it was hard, no, impossible to deal important damage. Henry was also losing his patience and so was the audience behind him. 

"Henry!" An angelic voice shouted from his right. Indeed, it was Jeri, closely followed by Kazu, Kenta and the Digimon.

"Do you have an electric Digimon card with you, Jeri?" he shouted back. Jeri eventually caught up with him, her face showing a rather angry look. _Now what did I do?_

"What, no 'thank God you're here!', Henry?"

"Jeri, no time for that. Do you have it?"

"How could I know!?" Jeri exclaimed, showing him her deck of cards. Henry quickly searched through it, suddenly exclaiming a victory cry. Before Jeri could ask, she was trapped in a big hug. Of course, she didn't complain. Henry finally let go, much to her displease.

"Jeri, you're really a life saver!"

Not looking at Jeri's blush and Kazu's and Kenta's snickering, Henry ran closer to Rapidmon, his feet feeling the cool water on them. "Rapidmon, get ready!"

"For what?"

"For victory!"

Rapidmon could have smiled if he weren't…well, metallic. "Way to go!"

Henry waited for Tylomon to appear. In that moment, he understood why Takato was, in fact, the strongest Tamer. _The only reason Rapidmon was hit by those attacks was because I didn't help him evade them. I just wait for him to beat the Digimon, slashing a card every now and then……I'm no better than the Digi-Destined………Takato, I'll prove you I'm a Tamer worthy of your friendship._

"Torpedo Attack!"

"Now! Rapidmon, move to the right!"

Rapidmon did as told and Tylomon went right through the air to his left. "Oh, no, not this time!" Rapidmon exclaimed, grabbing Tylomon by the tail before she could return to the sea. Henry smiled as Rapidmon turned around, gaining momentum with each turn.

"Dig-Modify! Kabuterimon, activate! Rapidmon, throw Tylomon upwards!"

"Whatever you say!" Rapidmon exclaimed, following Henry's advice. Unable to move, Tylomon didn't stand a chance anymore.

"Electro Shocker!"

The fierce electric attack hit Tylomon's body, which was, of course, wet. This increased the damage to the point of deletion. Only then Jeri, Kazu and Kenta noticed the crowd behind them, cheering and clapping as if they had just seen the Soccer World Cup Finals……again. Rapidmon soon joined Henry and de-evolved to Terriermon, landing, of course, on Henry's head. Jeri and the others smiled as they watched how Henry and Terriermon were acclaimed by the people. Henry couldn't avoid a smile, either, and Terriermon……well, let's just say he was in his element.

"Thank you, thanks you, it was a piece of cake, actually…now sweat, look at me! Do I look tired, huh?"

What stopped Terriermon was the sight of a certain someone wrapping Henry in a hug, and carefully placing a piece of paper in one of his pants' pockets. The same person then leaned her head closer to Henry and gave him a kiss on his left cheek. Then, that certain person moved her mouth closer to his left ear.

"Call me."

And then the certain person left. While Henry stood there in shock, Terriermon celebrated.

"Alright! We did it, Henry, we did it! We got the cutie's number!"

But Henry's shock wasn't caused by the kiss, or the paper in his pocket (or the strange sensation in his pants when the girl placed it). The brunette slowly raised his hand and pointed to another certain someone. Terriermon followed Henry's finger and met anger itself.

Let's see, I could use some help here…….how can I describe Jeri's face in that moment? Okay, first of all, think of Rika. Yes, Rika. Now, be nice enough to think of her after Takato touched some certain……forbidden areas of her body (Check "Card-O-Rama", chapter 4 and "Forget the Y2K, This is Madness!!!", chapter 7). Okay, are you done? Good. Now, multiply it by ten…scratch that, by one hundred. Now add a popping vein on the right side of her forehead if you haven't done so, and switch Rika's face for Jeri's. Voila!

Anyway, if Henry and Terriermon noticed, Kazu and Kenta didn't, mostly because they were right behind her. But then, they moved closer to Henry.

"Way to go, Henry!" Kenta commented.

"Yeah, like that was a total hottie…" 

I placed those three dots indicating hesitation because that's the moment when they saw Jeri's face, too. And to make things worse, Kazu's worse had just made it worse (Note: Change the multiplying factor to one thousand). The three men moved a step backwards when she approached. She stopped in front of Henry, and she was what she hadn't seen from a distance. That caused two things. First, it solved the question Terriermon had asked himself when he met "the cutie". And second, it changed the multiplying factor to one million.

To make things clear……there were lipstick marks on Henry's cheek.

***Takato***

"Needle Squall!!"

"Tail Blade!"

ChaosGallantmon easily blocked one and avoided the other. He had easily dodged the enemies' attacks but he had been unable to destroy the Digimon. Every time he tried to attack Scorpiomon he was interrupted by Pukumon's Needle Squall attack. _ "I think it's time to put an end to this……"_

_Hmmm……huh?___

**Takato!? Is that you!?**

_"No, not now!__ Don't wake up now!"_

_Huh……what's……what's going on?_

_"Nothing!__ Nothing's going on! Go back to sleep, Gogglehead!"_

But Takato watched the scene around him and gasped in surprise. "What the hell is going on here!?" Ruki didn't waste a second to answer.

**You fell asleep and he took control of your body!**

_What!?_

**He was going to kill Ryo!**

_WHAT!?_

**But these wild Digimon appeared and he bio-merged with Guilmon and formed……**

_ChaosGallantmon__!!!! I can't believe this!_

Takato looked down, at his body. He witnessed how the Dark Knight's black armor shone with the sunlight. _You have done enough today, Chaos._

_"WE have done enough today……enough? No, I was just starting the fun!"_

_SHUT UP! What if someone had seen us!?_

_"I would have made sure he didn't tell anyone…"_

_STOP IT!_

_"Whoa……I like you more when you're mad, Takato."_

_SHUT UP!_

_"Oh, yes, hate me as much as you want…but you have to take care of the wild Digimon before your friends arrive, and that's a matter of seconds……_

Chaos was right. Takato could feel someone approaching. It took him 1.62 seconds to think a plan, other 1.97 seconds to jump high enough. 1.21 seconds to charge his strongest technique, and 4.07 seconds to unleash its full power.

"Judecca Prison!"

*****Rika and Ryo*****

Ryo was smiling, as usual. But it was hard not to after watching Rika on the way to the battlefield. Of course, he knew it was better for him to stay quiet, but, gosh, he just had so much material to work with……

"That stupid Gogglehead……getting in trouble like this……he could get killed, that idiot……I can't believe he forgot………that stupid Gogglehead………for God's sake, he promised me!"

"What did he promise you?" Ryo finally stopped to say something. He couldn't hold it anymore. Rika shot him the Ultimate GlareTM, of course. "It's none of your business!" She said before restarting her running, Renamon by her side. But Ryo couldn't stop smirking.

"I see and I still can't believe it……what did you do to her, Gogglehead?"

Suddenly, an explosion of dark energy froze Rika and Ryo on her tracks. It had been dangerously close, and the subsequent shockwave sent both Tamers and Digimon flying away. A cloud of sand soon filled the entire area.

"What the hell was that!?" Ryo shouted. Rika forgot for a second that she's supposed to hate Ryo.

"I don't know!"

Monodramon, silent as always, looked at Renamon, whose eyes were widened in terror. Rika noticed that, too. "What's wrong, Renamon?"

But Renamon, as strong-willed as she is, still was unable to move, much less say a word. _That was……_

A memory from several weeks before returned to her. It had been one of the most terrifying experiences. _That was……yes, it was……!!!!!!_

She feared for her life if she approached that place, but her worry for Takato was even stronger.

"That was……the Judecca Prison!?"

It was a serious statement……if she had said it to someone who knew.

"The what?" Ryo said, as puzzled as Rika next to him. But the terror in Renamon's eyes said it was something very dangerous. Tamer and partner met their eyes in a worried look.

"Rika, Takato's gonna kill himself if we don't stop him!"

That activated an alarm in Rika's head. Her heart began to beat at a faster rhythm and her body began to sweat.

"Takato………let's go!"

Renamon nodded in response and ran as fast as possible, leaving a completely puzzled Ryo Akiyama behind.

"Can anyone tell me what's going on here!?" he complained, looking at his own partner. The dragon Digimon shrugged.

"Don't look at me. I'm just an spectator."

***Takato***

ChaosGallantmon landed not very gracefully on the soft sand. Takato was exhausted. He realized that being ChaosGallantmon required a much bigger effort than his holy counterpart. He guessed it was because ChaosGallantmon was an evolution specially designed for his Chaos mode.

_"Excellently guessed, Takato.__ You're using my Mega form, and only I can control it without dying in the process, just like I'm the only one who can unleash his full power."_

Chaos was right, Takato felt as if he were going to die right there. The Judecca Prison had completely drained him of his energy. He was positive that Scorpiomon had been destroyed, but Pukumon……

He looked at the sea, and the sight forced him to gasp. The power of his attack had actually created an opening of clear sand in the middle of the water, and Pukumon lied there, as weak as a fish out of the water. It was the perfect chance. He focused his remaining energies for one last attack.

"Demon's Disaster!"

The beam from his black lance collided with the marine Digimon, deleting him on contact. Takato sighed in relief, but that was it. He couldn't take it anymore.

He immediately de-evolved to his human body, Guilmon standing right next to him, looking around the place, unable to remember what happened.

"Takato……Takato!" the reptile Digimon insisted, but Takato wouldn't reply. He was too tired to speak, to move, he was barely on his two feet. The cloud of sand finally dissipated, and the shapes of Rika, Renamon, Ryo and Monodramon showed up in the distance. 

_Rika………she's gonna kill me when she sees me like this……_

It hurt, even to think. His whole body was numb and devoid of energy. But the job was done, and he had won the battle.

_"But at what cost, Takato?" Chaos' voice, his voice, echoed in his head, almost as if his other side enjoyed his weakness. But of course he enjoyed it. With Takato of commission, he was free to take control. Takato looked to his left, wondering why Rika hadn't arrived. When he noticed the look on his face, he feared for his life. But she wasn't really looking at him. She was looking at something white that was barely seen in his pocket. Takato took it and looked at it curiously. In a normal occasion, he would blush, stammer, and wait for the unavoidable pounding. But he was too tired for that._

_How…….how did this end up in my pocket?_

Chaos' chuckle was heard in his mind. _"Oh, that. Our Digimon found it in the ground. I think she probably dropped it when she came here to get changed."_

_……I see………_

He looked at Rika again, who was practically shooting steam out of her ears. She hadn't noticed Takato's state, yet.

**"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT, GOGGLEHEAD!?"**

With that said she dashed the remaining distance, jumped at him with the agility and strength of a tiger and pinned him down against the soft sand, preparing herself to beat the crap out of him.

"Get ready for the beating of your life, Goggle……huh?"

It was just then when she noticed, when she was sitting on top of him, preparing her fists to do their work. The blow had lift Takato's t-shirt a little, revealing the horrible truth. Wounds which had not healed, scars, hematomas, cuts……remnants of Takato's eternal struggle against himself. What he had kept hidden since the first time Chaos took over him, the day Leomon died. Rika watched in shock, and in an instant reaction, she took off Takato's clothes, leaving him just on his underwear. His legs, too, were covered with wounds. Rika looked at Takato's face, the only untouched part of his battered body. Rika's slam had knocked him out, leaving him completely unconscious. The girl realized she was still on top of him and got up, unable to say a word, covering her mouth with her hands. Renamon and Ryo walked next to Takato's limp body, turning him over to reveal the wounds on his back. Had he caused them himself, fighting against his dark side, or were they the unseen marks of his Tamer days?

Rika walked back a few steps, not bearing the sight anymore. Ryo was shaking his head, unable to believe, to even understand what he was seeing.

"Dear God………"

Renamon remained silent. She kind of expected something like that, she never thought it would be that……critical.

"Takato……" She then looked at her Tamer, and the sight worried her, too. Rika was simply in shock, and the rookie Digimon could understand why. Ryo was able to handle after years of near-death experiences, but Rika………

It was the most horrible scene Rika Nonaka had ever seen in her life. And not even her Digimon Queen Façade could resist it. Her heart broke in a thousand pieces, and she closed her eyes, allowing gravity to do its job.

"Rika!!!" Renamon exclaimed as her Tamer fainted.

_Takato…………why?_

**********************************************************************

**********************************************************************

End of chapter 2……

DR: I'm done!

Terriermon: Hey, I thought this would be pure humor!

DR: Oh, come on, it was a cool chapter. I'm sure Henry enjoyed it!

Henry: *blushes*

DR: The angsty part was absolutely necessary for the development of the next chapter, where insanity ensues! I'm laughing like crazy already!

**Next Chapter: With Takato's truth revealed, the Tamers are expecting some answers. They decided to make a meeting, which the new enemy will use to his (or her?) advantage! Yeah, I know that supposed to happen in this chapter, but it was already long enough! Anyway, the Tamers return to school…well, some of them. And they're acting very strangely! And what about the others? And what the hell's going on with Rika, acting all nice towards Takato all of a sudden!? Will Takato manage to convince Chaos and Ruki to work together to solve the mystery of the Tamers' strange behavior? Warning for the Tamers being out of character from here to the end of the story! Be warned! Lots of crazy stuff, that even Terriermon will be overwhelmed by it. And a Rukato scene Rukato fans definitely don't want to miss! All this in the next chapter of "Theory of Chaos": Chaotic Configurations!!!!!!**

Daneel Rush (daneel_ff@hotmail.com)


	3. Chaotic Configurations

DR: Hey, a new chapter…actually, the one I was looking forward to write!

Terriermon: Yeah, yeah, we know!

DR: I'm too excited, so let make things short. I don't own Digimon, so don't sue.

Terriermon: Yes, so please go bother other authors…

DR: Terriermon! That's not what I meant!

Henry: *eating some snacks* Can we please get on with it?

DR: *groans* what do I have to do to keep you in this house without you raiding my kitchen?

Henry: ……keep me busy.

DR: I wish I still could write MSTs……

**THEORY OF CHAOS**

**Chapter 3**

**_Chaotic Configurations_**

****

****

"That you want us to do what!?"

Takato slowly opened his eyes. He didn't feel good at all, so he didn't even move. He could listen to several voices arguing nearby. The first impression of his surroundings told him that he was in his bedroom. He had no idea how he got there, or how long had passed since he fainted. But he was too tired, so he closed his eyes again, expecting to go back to sleep. But the voices were just too loud.

"We can't do that! And why did you bring him here!? He should be in a hospital!"

"They would have made questions, questions we are still unable to answer! We still don't know what happened to him!"

"Isn't it obvious!? One of those Digimon hurt Takato!"

"Those wounds weren't caused by a Digimon! Besides……Takato is the strongest one of us, there is no way a Digimon could hurt him that badly!"

Takato released the air he held in his lungs. He couldn't believe it, but those two voices were his mother's and Rika's. They were obviously arguing, and he was the cause. He wished he could get up and stop them, but he was just too weak. If a least he could……

_"Tired, Takato?"_

_Oh, shut up……_

Takato knew he should be mad at him. Anyone else would be mad at Chaos after what he did, but he just couldn't. After all, Chaos was a part of him.

_Can I ask you a question?_

_"You want to know what I'd do after I take control of your body, right?"_

_How did you guess?_

_"Did you forget? We're the same being, we share the same memories. The answer you want is: I'd be true to my name."_

_That's it? You'd spend the rest of your life spreading chaos throughout the world?_

_"……yeah, pretty much."___

_……that's so lame……_

His counterpart's silence told Takato that he had hit a string. He was probably the first one to consider Chaos' objective from a different point of view. He guessed he was the one who had resisted Chaos the most in all of his incarnations. But, according to the Triad, that was the reason he had been created: to contain Chaos.

_"……I'll give you some of my energy."_

_How come?_

_"……I feel so puny on this bed, unable to do a thing. I want to get out of here."_

Takato immediately felt his energy return, the gift from Chaos slowly filling his body. However, Chaos' power didn't heal his wounds, so Takato very slowly moved up and sat on the bed. His whole body hurt.

_I wonder……_

_"No, you have no broken bones."_

_How do you know?_

_"Hey, this is my only body! I'd rather take care of it."_

Takato smiled in response. At least his body was safe. His mind was a completely different case, though. He didn't need to be a genius to know Chaos wanted to be the only personality in charge of the body. However, there was something that worried him.

_Where's Ruki?_

_"Uhh, well……actually, about that………she's in idle mode."_

Takato didn't think Ruki wouldn't enter idle mode again after their last argument. That could only mean……

"What did you do to her!?"

Takato immediately gasped. He had said that out loud. That meant the ones in the first floor would listen to it, and go to his room. And God knew he wasn't ready to face them just yet.

"I'm dealing with you later! We're getting out of here!" Takato said before he jumped out of the window.

*****The Matsuki's Bakery*****

Jeri was now genuinely worried about Takato. After Rika and Ryo found him lying unconscious, the field trip reached a bitter end. Ms. Asagi immediately ordered the return to Shinjuku, and nobody complained. Everyone was worried about the young Takato, who seemed so weak in Ryo's arms, as the older Tamer carried him. The teacher had insisted to take him to a hospital and call his parents from there, but Rika wouldn't allow it. The redhead would only take Takato to his house. After a quick check in which the teacher made sure Takato's life was in imminent danger, she agreed, and the whole group of Tamers got off the bus in front of Takato's house. After carrying Takato to his bed, the Tamers explained what happened (or at least what they knew) at the beach. Between the sobbing of Takato's mother and her husband's reassuring words, Jeri and the others had seen Rika separate from the group. It was obvious she was hiding something, but they were smart enough to know it would be impossible to make her talk. Eventually, the Tamers returned to their homes, where their worried parents had already being informed of their whereabouts.

The new day had arrived, and the Tamers immediately gathered at Takato's bakery, which had taken the day off. They were informed that Takato hadn't woken up yet. All the Tamers were there, including Suzie, as Henry had been forced to take her with him, as no one else could take care of her. Takato's parents were trying to do what the Tamers' were incapable of: forcing Rika to tell the whole truth. But Rika just wouldn't do it, of course. They were in the middle of that when……

"What did you do to her!?" Takato's voice echoed from his bedroom. The nine humans and eight Digimon in the room froze, before starting a mad race to the bedroom. Rika was the first, so she had the honor of slamming the door open, but…….

"He's not here!" Rika exclaimed. Everyone entered the room, considerably reducing the free space. Renamon was the first to do the obvious and look out of the window.

"Rika! Over there!"

Both Tamer and Digimon watched how Takato ran through the Shinjuku streets. "How can he run like that!? It hasn't been even 24 hours!"

Renamon, who was as impressed as her Tamer, shrugged in response. Rika looked back, to the other Tamers. "We're going after him, follow us!" she said as she took out an evolution card.

"Digi-Modify! Super Evolution Plug-In S, activate!"

**EVOLUTION**

"Renamon, digivolve to……Kyuubimon!"

Rika jumped on top of the champion Digimon as it jumped out of the window, leaving the others in a daze.

"I……guess that's our cue to leave, too." Henry muttered.

"Really? What was your first clue!?" Terriermon replied.

***Takato and Rika***

"Gogglehead, wait!"

Takato looked back to see he was being chased by Rika and Kyuubimon. It was an interesting sight for the pedestrians: a girl riding a nine-tailed yellow fox chasing a twelve-year-old goggled boy. "Damn……" Takato muttered. He ran to the park, where he had a better chance at losing both of them. Running through the thick forest where Kyuubimon couldn't get into, Takato dashed until he decided to climb a tree. There was no way Kyuubimon could get there. Takato smiled at his achievement. Then he focused on other important matters.

_What did you do to Ruki!?_

_"She was ignoring my orders, so I had to use some……not-very-orthodox methods to convince her."_

_Did you torture her!?_

_"Gee, that sounds so rash, Takato…"_

Takato couldn't hold it anymore. _You can insult me, you can hurt me, you can take control of my body to satisfy your wicked desires, BUT YOU CAN'T HURT MY FRIENDS AND GET AWAY WITH IT!"_

_"Aaaaaahhhh!!!!!"___

_What!?_

_"Your……your power…………"_

But Takato wasn't really paying attention, because there was a Digimon a few yards in front of him. _Taomon__?__ Rika's looking for me using Taomon!_

Taomon looked at Takato, who gulped at the sight. Then, she smiled; to disappear the way Renamon does every time. Before Takato could even understand what was going on, he felt a finger poking his back.

"Hiding from someone, Gogglehead?"

Takato immediately looked back, where Sakuyamon looked at him with a grin on her face.

"Waaahhhh!!!"

The surprise caused Takato to lose his balance and fall from the branch he was resting on, falling to the grass with a loud thud. He was immediately surrounded by the other Tamers. But he wouldn't have been able to escape even without them, as the impact had left him unable to move. The pain had reached unbearable levels. _But……Taomon had just left over there, and………what the hell's going on in here!?_

Takato slowly drifted to sleep again, as the little energy Chaos had given him had been already spent. He didn't really care if Chaos took control, he wouldn't be able to do very much with such a battered body.

***The Tamers Meet Chaos***

Ryo and Henry helped Takato get up right before Rika pinned him against the tree he had just fallen from.

"What were you trying to achieve, Gogglehead!?"

Chaos slowly opened his eyes, to realize he was in control. Takato had actually allowed him to. He hadn't needed to do a thing! But he knew exactly the reason: his body was too tired to resist, so tired he didn't think he could become ChaosGallantmon. There was one only way out of that predicament, and it was the way he hated the most: through dialogue. _"Ugh……pathetic………"_

"Why did you run away from us, Takato!?" Jeri asked, more as a plea than as anything else. Takato smiled with the dark version of his infamous goofy smile: a wicked grin filled with dark intentions and hatred.

"My………despicable other side is that much of a coward. He doesn't have the guts to face you guys! Isn't that pathetic!?"

"What is he talking about!?" Kazu exclaimed. Takato, still smiling, looked at Rika, who had retreated a few steps.

"It's good to know at least one of you knows who I am."

Renamon stepped forward, walking next to her Tamer, whose eyes had dilated in surprise. "You are……"

"Yes, Rika, I am. I am the one who released the Ultimate Dark Dragon Digimon, Megidramon……twice. I am the one who beat the crap out of your Renamon using just a puny little BlackTerriermon. I am this world's worst nightmare, Rika……….I am Chaos."

Everyone remained silent for several seconds. Henry had to place a hand on Jeri's right shoulder so that she could stop shivering. Henry and Ryo looked at Takato, as they were slowly assembling the pieces of the puzzle together. Rika was shooting daggers at Takato, as if it were possible for her to challenge the Son of Destruction. But Kazu and Kenta had no idea of what was happening.

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Hirokazu exclaimed, thinking that Takato was just joking or something. But the heated glare Takato shoot at him didn't make him look like a clown at all.

"Where is Takato!?" Rika demanded. Takato chuckled.

"Don't you see me, or what?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!"

"Jeez, girl, calm down. It won't do any good to your heart if you act like that every day."

After shooting daggers at the snickering Terriermon, Rika faced Chaos once again. "Where is Takato?"

"If you insist that much, my good me is sleeping at the moment. That fall from the tree finished him off, you know. He was already tired and in pain, and you completely busted him. You're gonna kill him one of these days……I can't tell what he sees in you, really!"

Everybody froze. Even if Takato's feelings for Rika were of public knowledge (except for Rika, of course), it was strictly forbidden to mention them.

"What……what do you mean?" Rika stammered. Takato shrugged.

"That's between Takato and…well, Takato, which is me, of course. Now if you excuse me."

Takato was about to leave when he found his path blocked by none other than Jeri Katou. Elecmon stood next to her in alarm of what might happen.

"Please, leave Takato alone……let him free."

Takato looked at the insolent girl with a look that could kill. "Move away." He warned.

"Please!" Jeri insisted in the verge of tears.

"I SAID MOVE AWAY!" Takato shouted, raising his right hand to slap her away. "No!" Henry shouted an instant to late. Jeri closed her eyes.

_No!_

Takato stopped. "Damn………" He lowered his hand and stood still, checking something within him. Every one else simply stood there, trying to understand why Takato had stopped. Henry pulled a sobbing Jeri away. Takato grunted in annoyance.

"Damn……he got up."

"Who?" Rika wondered.

"Your sweet little Takato got up and stopped me." He then looked at Jeri. "You should thank him later.  You owe him big time, little girl."

Takato gave one last look to the Tamers.

"What's going on inside this body only matters to me……to my two sides, in fact. Stay away from this, unless you also want to get hurt. Now, if you excuse me, I'm about to have quite the heated argument with your little friend."

Takato finally walked away, leaving the other Tamers confused. Suzie pretty much resumed the whole thing.

"Whoa, the angwy kid is weally angwy today!"

*****Same place, different……being*****

_So I finally found you, Chaos……_

The Digimon watched how the leader of the Tamers abandoned the small clearing in the forest, leaving the other Tamers to deal with their new knowledge. The Digimon watched how one of the female humans cried on a black haired boy's shoulder, who clumsily patted her head, while the Terriermon on his head snickered annoyingly. The seemingly older one in the group approached to a red-haired female and tried to start a conversation, but the girl simply swatted him away like a fly. _Well, milord said I could have fun, and I guess this is a good time to start……let's see how you deal with this, Chaos……_

"Silent Curse!" the Digimon whispered, while her spell did its effect on the Tamers. The Digimon couldn't help but smirk before it faded in the shadows.

_Monday's gonna be a very interesting day for you, Chaos………_

***** Ta, ta, taaaaa!!!! Monday! *****

Takato walked VERY slowly to school that Monday. After Chaos' little encounter with the Tamers last Saturday, he wasn't really in the mood to face them. That's the reason he had avoided them the day before. Yet he still found it odd that they hadn't found it on Sunday. Not that he complained, though. His lack of energy and the unbelievable pain he felt in his body was the other reason he walked so slowly. But no matter how slowly he walked, he eventually reached the school, especially because he didn't want to arrive late. He slowly walked through the corridors filled with noisy children and teenagers. He reached the classroom, and doubted for a second before finally opening the door.

Much to her surprise, no one paid attention to his arrival. Hirokazu seemed to have bought some new cards and he was showing them to his friend Kenta, who didn't seemed to pleased about it. Jeri seemed to be talking to herself, and she certainly didn't look like in the mood to talk to anyone else. And Rika……

"Takato, over here!" Rika shouted cheerfully, inviting Takato to join her. Please note the use of the words 'Takato', 'Rika' and 'cheerfully' in the same sentence. It is completely intentional, before you ask. No, I'm not crazy. Anyway, Takato walked to his usual seat next to Rika and looked at the redhead next to him. The first thing he noticed was her eyes. They seemed to glow with a light he had never seen in them before. And they looked bigger than the usual. And to make things even weirder, she had the cutest grin you could possibly imagine. Takato took advantage of the presence of two other minds in his body to make sure he was not hallucinating. _Hey, do you……?_

_"Yes, we do. She sure looks weird. Do you think my appearance affected her more than we expected?"_

_For your sake, let's hope not!_

"Uhh……hello, Rika."

"Good morning, Takato." Rika replied very politely. "How are you today?"

**There is something very wrong here……**

_Shhhh__! "I've had better days……" Takato replied, expecting Rika to complain about Takato's lack of care. He got a completely different reaction._

"Oh, did something bad happen to you, Takato!?" Rika exclaimed in alarm, looking around Takato's body in search of a wound. Takato shook his head and sweatdropped. 

"No, no, nothing's happened to me! I'm just still tired from Friday and Saturday……just that."

Rika sighed in relief. "Oh, thank God! I don't know what I've done if something had happened to you."

**Okay, there's definitely something wrong here……**

_"For once, I agree with the Digivice."_

_I guess the idea of Rika finally developing feelings for me is out of the question, huh?_

Takato got his answer when both Ruki and Chaos went into a fit of laughter. Takato patiently waited for the two of them to stop. Ruki was the first to talk.

**Sorry, Takato, it's just that……hahahaha!!!!!**

_"Rika……falling for……hahahaha!!!!! Takato, you're such a comedian!"_

_My, thank you………_

Takato looked at Rika again and sweatdropped. The girl had never stopped looking at him, not even to blink. And those dreamy eyes……

"Oh, for God's sake, stop looking at him as if he were made of gold or something. It's sickening."

Both Rika and Takato looked behind to meet the angry look of Jeri Katou. "Do you have a problem?" Rika complained.

"Yes, in fact, I do have a problem!" Jeri replied, her tone of voice growing louder with each word. "My problem is that I didn't come to this school to be forced to bear with sluts like you!"

Takato's eyes grew the size of golf balls while Rika jumped out of her chair, looking menacingly at Jeri.

"How did you just call me, puppet moron!?" _Well, that's a little more like Rika… Takato thought._

"SLUT! S-L-U-T, SLUT! Do I need to say it slower!?" _But that's definitely not the Jeri I know…… Takato concluded._

"Why, you little……!!!!!! I'm going to beat you so badly…!!!!"

"Bring it on!"

The two girls were about to rip each other apart. _I have to do something!_

_"Why should we? It's gonna be the catfight of the century!"_

_Oh, dear God……_

"Rika!" Takato shouted commandingly. The redhead immediately stopped clenching her fists and looked at Takato with a sweet look.

"Yes, dear?"

_Dear!?_

_"Gosh, what did she have for breakfast!? She's high!"_

_Chaos!_

_"Hey, it's true!"_

"The teacher is about to arrive, I think we should………look out!"

Jeri was about to attack Rika taking advantage of her distraction, but Takato pushed Rika away and became victim of Jeri's deadly girly scratch attack.

"Ouch, Jeri, it hurts……OUCH!"

"Ms. Katou. Sit down at once!"

Ms. Asagi had just arrived and witnessed Jeri's raging attack. The aforementioned girl did as told, while Takato and Rika returned to their usual seats. Takato looked at Jeri for a second, which Jeri took to mouth a silent "You're so dead!" before Takato looked at up front. Then, he noticed Henry's absence. He looked back at Jeri.

"Where's Henry?"

"Who do you think I am, his frickin' nanny!?"

Takato gulped and proceeded to look at his teacher while she checked the list. On a certain point, Takato looked at Rika.

"Are you okay?"

Rika didn't respond. She was too busy staring at him with even bigger and dreamier eyes than before. "You….saved me……"

Takato sweatdropped.

**Okay, I choose Abnormal Female Behavior for $300.**

_"Alright!__ Rika is looking at Takato with big glowing eyes and a dreamy look as if our Gogglehead were so sort of white knight in shining Goggles. What's wrong with that picture!?"_

_Stop playing, you two! There's something really wrong going on in here! And I'm worried about Henry!_

**Well, we can always check on him after school is over, right?**

_Finally, an idea!_

The class went on, and Ms. Asagi. Everything reached a relative calm, except for the fact that Rika just wouldn't stop staring at him, and it was getting a little annoying. Thankfully, Ms. Asagi also noticed it and scolded her for it in a rather embarrassing scene for both Takato and Rika. After that, Rika didn't look at him anymore……but that doesn't mean she was not making weird moves on him. Actually………

_Whoa! Takato's mind exclaimed at a certain point of the class, at the same time he suddenly moved to his right. __Chaos, did you feel that!?_

_"Sure I did! Was that what I think it was!?"_

Takato looked at Rika, who replied with a sexy wink. Takato looked below their desk and his suspicion came true: Rika had been caressing Takato's left leg with her right one.

_"Okay, now, really, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT CHICK!?"_

_She's not a 'chick', Chaos, have some respect! However, you're right on one thing……there's something wrong with her……_

_"Actually………it felt kind of cool, huh?"_

_Well………_

**Oh, I can't believe the two of you!**

Takato blushed for two people in that moment. Rika also noticed and let go a soft giggle.

****** Hehe…the insanity continues……during lunch break! ******

Takato was resting under the shade of a tree, after what he thought had been the most tiring morning of that school year. After the little scene I just described, Takato had to stop her from caressing his left leg with her hand, blowing air on his neck and licking his left earlobe (Chaos complained a little bit after that one). Whatever was wrong with her, it had to end as soon as possible. He would have gratefully accepted it, let's say, three years later, but at his twelve years he was still too naïve to find enjoyment in Rika's actions. And it was getting very embarrassing. But we know it was far from over, of course.

"Hello, Takato."

Takato froze. Rika was right in front of him, carrying her lunch with her. "Can I sit with you?" she asked sheepishly.

_I think I'm gonna die…_

_"Alright!__ Die and leave her just to me!"_

**She's just twelve, you pervert!**

_"Hey, I'm not the one hitting on her, okay!?"_

"I……I guess."

"Really!?" Rika exclaimed happily, sitting abnormally close to him. Takato looked at Rika's lunch, which seemed different from what she used to take there. It seemed……rather odd. Rika also noticed Takato's interest.

"Do you want some? I cooked it myself last night."

Takato immediately reacted. "Do you cook!?"

Rika stiffened a laugh. "Hey, my mother said the exact same thing yesterday! Now, say 'aaah'."

Takato wasn't sure if he should do that. Chaos pretty much voiced Takato's thoughts.

_"Is that edible?"_

**It certainly doesn't look edible……**

"Rika, I think I just-!!!!!!"

Yes, Rika stuffed the food in Takato's mouth before he could react. "How is it?"

Takato hurriedly nodded. "Vewy good!" he managed to say.

_"Aaaahh! It's horrible! I'm gonna die! I don't deserve this!"_

Takato chewed and swallowed the "food" as soon as possible, his eyes fixed on Rika's smile.

"Do you want some more?" Rika asked, offering him the rest.

_"No!"_

"No!!! I mean no thanks……huh?" Takato gulped. Rika's smiled had suddenly changed to a frown. She took a little bit of her food and ate it. Her skin's sudden change through different shades and colors said everything. Rika finally managed to swallow it.

"It……tastes horrible……" She then looked at Takato, who gulped again. "You……you just ate it to make me happy, didn't you?"

Takato remained silent. Suddenly, Rika's frown disappeared to be changed with the sweetest smile.

"You're the sweetest guy…"

"Huh?"

Before Takato could do something about it, Rika leaned closer and kissed Takato's right cheek. She then cuddled closer and leaned her head on his right shoulder. Takato, of course, remained completely frozen.

_"Takato?__ Takato………Earth to Gogglehead, do you copy?"_

**……I think we lost him……**

Rika looked up at the not very focused Takato. "Taka……Taka-chan……can I call you Taka-chan?"

**Taka-chan!? Are you sure we woke up on the right universe, Chaos?**

_I don't know!_

Takato wasn't really paying attention so he simply nodded. Rika smiled in delight. "Are you free after school, Taka-chan?"

Takato nodded again. Rika's smile grew wider. "Then maybe you can come over to my house for tea……" Her smile changed to a seductive grin. "……and maybe more……"

Takato nodded, and then understood what Rika had just told him. That brought Takato back to reality. _WHAT THE!?_

_"Finally!__ Ladies and gentlemen, Takato Matsuki!!"_

**Good to have you back, Gogglehead……any ideas about what to do now?**

_Huh? What do you mean!?_

_"Well, you just agreed to go to her house for some wild, animal……"_

_DON'T FINISH THAT SENTENCE!_

Something else came to Takato's mind. "Henry!" He exclaimed. "I have to go check on Henry!"

"What!?" Rika complained. "Do you prefer going to Brainiac's house rather than……?" Rika cuddled even closer and leaned her head right next to Takato's right ear. "……what I have to offer you?"

Takato froze again, his face red as a tomato.

**Don't you have some silly comment to say, Chaos?**

_"Well…actually……...I'm kind of turned on……"_

**Oh, I can't believe you!**

***Back to the classroom***

"Well, I took a look at the tests you did last Thursday, and I found some interesting results."

Everyone gulped at Ms. Asagi's words. They knew that test wouldn't affect their grades, but it would be enough with the embarrassment. Takato looked at Rika, who seemed as nervous as the others. Ms. Asagi looked at Takato with a piercing look.

"Takato, I must say it's a surprise. A perfect exam, too bad it won't go to your report."

Takato received the test with a smile. "So what? He probably cheated. What a show-off…" a voice in the back said.

**Wasn't that Kenta's voice?**

_Yeah……_

_"Ahem!"_

_What?_

_"WHAT!?__ How dare you!?"_

_……uh, oh! Yeah……good job._

_"Good job!?__ GOOD JOB!? Who do you think I am, your frickin' pet!?"_

_Do you actually want me to thank you?_

_"Well you could at least do that!"_

_Sorry, didn't you have a soft side……_

_"WHAT!?__ Hmph!"_

**Hehehehe****, nice one, Takato……**

Takato sat down and looked next to him, where Rika looked at him with a face filled with admiration. "You're so great, Taka-chan!"

Takato heard a laugh right behind him. "Taka-chan!? What a silly pet name……"

"Shut up, puppet girl!"

"Make me……slut."

"Stop it, both of you!" Takato demanded, and both girls retreated, not without Jeri's comments ("What a wuss……") and Rika's complains ("Let me at her, I can kick her sorry……") and Takato's pleas ("Rika!").

*****Eventually…*****

……classes were over for the day, Takato left the school with the firm idea of visiting Henry ASAP. Of course, I wouldn't leave him get away just like that, would I? ……you people know me too well.

"Yoo-hoo! Taka-chan!!!!"

Takato sighed. _I woke up on the wrong foot today…_

_"How can you say that!?"___

**Shut up, you PIG!**

_"I'm just offering my help. Let me handle her, Takato. I promise I'll be very nice to her……"_

_By the way my nose is bleeding I can tell you're up to NO GOOD!_

Takato turned around (covering his nose, of course) to face Rika. "Uhh…hi?"

"Don't 'hi' me, mister! Were you trying to run away!?"

"Me? Of course not!" Takato lied. "But as I told you, I'm worried about Henry. I'd feel much better if I visited him."

"But you promised to go to my house……" Rika pouted. Takato sighed.

"Look, I won't be in a good mood if you don't let me do what I want to do. Let me go check on Henry, and then I'll go to your house. Okay?"

Rika thought about it for a second, and then nodded. "Fine!" Then, she firmly grabbed Takato's right arm. "But I'm not letting go!"

"What?"

"I'm doing this just in case you're planning to dump me!" Rika's frown then changed to a seductive grin. "You'll thank me I did this tomorrow morning……"

Takato's face went through…I'm counting; I'm counting……seven different shades of red before staying in a fierce blush.

_"She wants you BAD, Gogglehead! Oops, my mistake, she wants US bad!"_

_You're not getting any close to Rika, mister!_

_"Did you forget I feel what you feel, Takato, my friend?"_

_Damn………and we're not friends!_

It was awkward to Takato, you know, walking through the streets with Rika's head leaning on his right shoulder and her left arm around his right arm. They were so closed they looked like a real couple, but that was Rika's intention, so there. It would have been much easier if Rika had remained unnoticed, but wasn't very likely to happen, right?

"Hey, isn't that the Digimon Queen? You know, the top card player and Digimon Tamer……"

"Hey, you're right, it's her! Wait a minute, is she with a guy!?"

"Whoa, I never thought I'd see the day!"

Of course, it wasn't just those comments………

"But who's the guy, anyway? He looks like a total nobody to me……"

"Yeah, anyone would expect Rika Nonaka to choose someone as famous as her……."

"Hey, isn't that guy one of the other Tamers?"

"Now that you mention it……yeah, it's………what was his name again?"

"Man, to think I once thought the Digimon Queen would hook up with Ryo Akiyama……"

_I want to beat the crap out of those guys so much……_

_"Let me do it! Let me do it! Me! ME!"_

_But I'm no planning on doing it……_

_"You're such a wuss……"_

But Takato had made two interesting discoveries. One was that Rika seemed to pay great attention to the people's comments. She actually seemed to enjoy them. And second, she still reacted to the name 'Ryo Akiyama' the usual way……

And speaking of the devil……wait, I'll do things in order. Our favorite couple was slowly walking through the streets of West Shinjuku, enjoying a lovely and rather cold afternoon, when………

"I'll have one more order of the same, please!"

"Yes, sir. At your service, sir!"

Waiters and waitresses ran like crazy inside a restaurant in the way. Takato couldn't help but being a little curious. With Rika alongside him, Takato entered the restaurant. Surrounded by mountains of empty dishes and glasses, there was……

"Ryo!?" Takato exclaimed. Rika didn't seem to care at all, as she just cuddled closer to Takato. Takato walked very carefully, as he might break one of the piles of dishes around him. Eventually, he reached a seat close enough to Ryo.

"Rika, please sit down, I'd like to talk to Ryo."

"No, you sit down!"

"Rika, but…"

But…but Rika pushed him down to the chair and sat on his lap. Her seductive voice reached Takato's ears. "Now we're both comfortable."

Ignoring his now seemingly never-leaving blush, Takato attempted a conversation.

"Hello……Ryo. How are you doing?"

Takato managed to understand a "fine!" somewhere in between Ryo's constant munching and chewing. "Ah, uhh…that's good to know. Tell me, do you feel……let's see……have you felt somehow……different lately?"

Ryo stopped eating for a second. "Well, I feel………hungry." Then he resumed eating. 

"That I can tell……" Takato muttered. Ryo then began spreading ketchup all over a plate of meat, and on some other places, too……like Rika's uniform.

"Hey, watch it………my, oh my……"

It was as if Rika had just noticed Ryo's presence. "My, you eat a lot……well, they say that the sign of a healthy person. I wonder if you'd like to stop by my house later, you sexy thing."

"HEY!" Takato immediately complained. "What about me!?"

_"Aww, poor little Takato was just dumped for someone better……"_

_Don't you remember, Chaos? We are the same person. WE were dumped!_

_"Now that you mention it……hey!"___

Rika replied with a chuckle. "Don't be so selfish, Taka-chan. There is more than enough me for the both of you."

Takato couldn't believe it. _Is she actually proposing a……_

_"Sorry Takato, but I'm not really into threesomes."_

**But there are two of you in Takato's body. Would that be considered a threesome?**

_"………good point."___

But Ryo had more……important matters to attend. "Hey, Takato. By any chance do you have any cash?"

"Wha-huh? Why?"

"I kind of got this sudden urge for Mexican food…….but I totally ran out of cash."

"Well, I guess……" Takato began while he searched in his pockets. "I guess I can lend you some."

"Really? You're the best!"

"Yeah, right……anyway, where's Monodramon?"

Ryo's eyes dilated for a second, and then relaxed. "I…don't know. I guess I lost him in that 'All you can eat' place."

Takato handed him the money and Ryo excitedly got up. "Well, gotta go. I don't know when that place closes. See ya, Rika."

"No, wait!" Rika pleaded, but Ryo had already left, shouting "VIVA LAS ENCHILADAS!" all over the place. Takato sweatdropped (he kind of does that quite a lot lately, huh?) and Rika pouted.

"He so totally ignored me……" Rika said, but then she happily jumped on her place on top of Takato. "But I guess we'll have more than enough fun by ourselves, right, Taka-chan?"

_Is there a correct answer to that question?_

_"Just say yes. At least that'll make her happy."_

"Yes, of course."

Rika playfully nudged him on the lower torso. "Oh, you're such a little naughty boy……I'd take care of you right now if we weren't in a public place."

Takato didn't even bother wondering if he was blushing or not. At the moment his greatest worry was Henry. He didn't know what to expect when he arrived to the Wongs' place.

**********************************************************************

**********************************************************************

DR: Crazy, huh? Terriermon is not here at the moment. He's laughing his little rear off in the bathroom. Now if you excuse, I'd really like to join him.

**Next Chapter: Takato and Rika arrive to Henry's place only to find more madness and insanity! Not only Henry is acting weird, but Suzie, too! And Terriermon is the innocent victim! Then, Takato will be forced to go to Rika's place as he promised. What will Takato do when he faces the Ultimate Indecent Proposal? Uh oh, Rika won't let Takato go without getting' some lovin'!!!!!! Watch how Takato, with the aid of Chaos and Ruki solves the mystery of the Tamers' insanity in the next chapter of "Theory of Chaos": Battle Fire with Fire, Battle Chaos with Chaos!!!**

Daneel Rush (daneel_ff@hotmail.com)


	4. Battle Fire With Fire, Battle Chaos With...

*DR, his whole body covered with bandages, types with the only part of his body that still works……his left index finger*

Henry: *whispers* What……happened to him?

Terriermon: *whispers* ……Rika read the last chapter.

Henry: *whispers* ………I see………he was asking for it.

DR: *muffled voice* Stop with the whispering! Terriermon, could you please do the disclaimer?

Terriermon: Sure! Daneel Rush doesn't own Digimon. If he did, he wouldn't be the mummy he is right now. On to the fic! We'll see what's up with my Tamer and Suzie, and Takato will be forced to deal with Rika's ever-growing need for pleasure. How will he manage to control his fellow Tamers? Read and find out!

**THEORY OF CHAOS**

**Chapter 4**

**_Battle_****_ Fire with Fire, _****_Battle_****_ Chaos with Chaos_**

**__**

**__**

The doorbell of the Wong apartment rang at exactly 5:30 P.M. Why did Takato and Rika take that long? Well, after the short interlude with Ryo, Takato and Rika continued their way there, until Rika said she wanted an ice cream. Takato had to buy such ice cream and wait for Rika to finish it, both seated on a bench in the park. They continued only when Takato realized Rika had stopped licking the ice cream……to lick his neck. Then, Rika forced Takato to take her to a lingerie store, with an unbelievable excuse: she needed something made of silk to sleep more comfortable. And after almost a hour of Rika trying different models, with Takato as the final judge, much to Chaos' please and the other customer's shock, the couple eventually arrived to the apartment building where the Wongs live, Rika carrying a very small bag, containing a very small silk babydoll……which Takato didn't have to pay, before you ask.

Henry's mother opened the door, not hiding her surprise at the sight of Henry's friends. "You have no idea how glad I am you're here. I'm sure he'll feel a lot better now."

Both Takato and Rika stepped inside to be greeted by Janyuu Wong. "Hey, Takato, Rika, how are you today?"

Takato bowed politely, pretty much dragging Rika with him, considering that she was practically clung to him. "We're fine, thanks. May we go see Henry?"

"Of course!" Janyuu replied. Both Tamers walked in the direction of Henry's room, until Janyuu came out with another comment.

"I didn't know you were an item."

Takato sweatdropped. "We're not a couple, mister." He was about to enter Henry's room when he heard a faint sobbing right next to him.

Rika was doing her best to hold the tears. "I thought…..we……Taka-chan……"

Takato sweatdropped again. _"You like, totally screwed up this time, Gogglehead." _

"Rika, that's not what I meant! I didn't mean it, really!"

Takato looked at Janyuu, who took the hint and left the two Tamers alone in the living room. Rika was sobbing uncontrollably. "Then……then what did you mean by that?"

_"I want to see how you're getting out of this one, Goggles……"_

"What I mean was…well……" _I was saving this for the day I confessed her my feelings, but…… "We're more than a couple, Rika. We're soul mates. We're destined to be together, I knew it since the moment I first saw you, in my dreams."_

_"That's…so mushy I think I'm gonna throw up……"_

**Need a bag?**

But Takato's plan had worked. The tears of pain were now tears of joy, and Takato was suddenly victim of a bear hug.

"That's the sweetest thing someone has ever told me! You're the cutest little thing!"

Rika let go to fix her eyes on Takato's. The male Tamer gulped when he noticed the look on her eyes. There was definitely a burning passion in them.

"And just because of that, you get an extra bonus tonight……" she chuckled seductively. "……I don't think you'll be able to go to school tomorrow after what I have in store for you, Taka-chan……"

_"Whoa, hot stuff……"_

_Tell me about it……_

__

Takato remained silent. He tried to get rid of Rika's hold, but it was simply impossible. Takato opened the door leading to Henry's room.

"Henry, is that……TERRIERMON!?"

Oh, yes, the poor Terriermon……not only he was dressed like "Pwincess Pwetty Pants", but he also……also……wait a second till I stop laughing………he also……had make up. Please, don't ask me to go into details on Lopmon's outfit. It would just kill me.

"Now we're playing tea house! Lady Tewiewmon and Lady Wopmon are going to a tea pawty!"

_Well, Suzie looks normal enough…… _

But there was also Henry……but I should really say, the big lump in the middle of the bed. Henry had his whole body covered by blankets, and he seemed to be sleeping. Rika gently nudged Takato's side.

"Well, we came and saw Henry……can we go to my place now, Taka-chan?"

"Can't you wait just a minute?" Takato asked as politely as he could manage to. He moved closer to Henry's bed and attempted to wake him up.

"Henry……are you awake?"

Henry moved a little……and that was it. Takato insisted, much to Rika's displease. Henry finally uncovered himself, revealing the face of someone who had been sleeping the entire day. "Uhhh……who is it?"

"It's me, Takato. Do you remember your best friend?"

Rika slowly wrapped her arms around Takato's waist and spoke with a seductive voice. "I thought I was your best friend, Taka-chan……"

Takato sighed. "Anyway……why didn't you come to school today, Henry?"

Henry groaned and closed his eyes again. "I didn't want to. Now, if that's all you wanted to know, please leave. I want to sleep."

"NO!" Terriermon shouted in desperation. "Henry, Suzie has used me as her doll for hours! I can't take it anymore!!! Tell her to let me go!!!!!"

Henry sighed. "Suzie, let go of Terriermon."

Suzie squeezed Terriermon in way Takato found dangerously tight. "NO! TERRIERMON IS MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! WAAAHHHH!!!!!"

"OKAY, OKAY, STOP IT!" Henry complained in a visibly angry tone of voice. "Okay, do whatever you want, just let me sleep."

"WHAT!?" Terriermon complained. "And what about me!?"

Henry shrugged. "You can't say I didn't try."

"Wait, no, Henryyyyyy!!!!!!!!"

But Henry was already sleeping again. Takato looked at Lopmon, who nodded in response.

"He's been like that all day. He hasn't gotten out of that bed, not even to eat or go to the bathroom. He won't go to the shower……"

"That I can tell……" Rika complained.

"……and Suzie has being even more possessive of her toys that usual. She won't anyone take Terriermon or me."

Terriermon then noticed Rika's closeness to Takato. "So, what's up with the hugging and cuddling, Rika?" Terriermon said with a snicker while Suzie served the tea. Rika hugged Takato tightly, much to the Gogglehead's pain.

"Taka-chan is my new……best friend, if you get what I mean."

Terriermon frowned. "Okay, who are you and what did you do to the real Rika?"

_I wish I knew that, too……_

_"We all do, Takato, we all do……"_

**Definitely……**

****

Rika shrugged. "I have no idea of what you mean." She then looked sweetly at her "best friend". "Can we go now?"

"I……guess………"

Rika cheered excitedly while Takato groaned. _I'm not gonna like this……_

_"Oh, yes, you will………"_

_We're definitely NOT doing anything, Chaos!_

_"Aww, nuts!"_

**Hentai****!**

****

The walk to Rika's place was long and silent, as Takato was doing his best to delay the arrival as much as possible, and his mind stayed deep in thought. Rika kept looking at him with a silly smile. "What's wrong, Taka-chan?"

Takato was taken by surprise. "Huh?"

"You were so deep in thought……you looked so mature………" Rika said dreamily, while cuddling as close as humanly possible.

"It kind of………turns me on." She finished.

Takato blushed for like the hundredth time that day. Rika continued.

"It will still take a while to my house. Do you think you can get Guilmon to leave the cabin for us tonight?"

_"Man, she is impatient……"_

"Uhh……I'd rather go to your house……"

"Oh, you prefer the steamy closeness of my sleeping bag, huh? How……erotic……"

Takato got as red as his Omnivice. He decided to ignore Rika for the rest of the walk and immersed himself in his thoughts.

**So……any ideas on what happened to her……**

_Not just her……I have an idea, but I'm still not sure………_

_"Care to share it with us?"_

_Aren't we the same being? Wouldn't you be supposed to know it already?_

_"Oh, yeah, let me see……oh, I see………wel, thought, Goggles, I must admit that."_

**Would you mind giving me the details!?**

_Maybe later, Ruki……_

_"So…that's why you're going to her house……you want to make sure your assumption is correct, right?"_

_Exactly……_

__

"……Rika……sweetheart?"

"Yes, my love?"

_"Oh, my God, she used the 'l' word! Shock him before he freezes again!"_

**Alright!**

****

*PZZT!!*

_Hey! I was not going to freeze, you know?_

**You shouldn't get used to it, you know? It's not going to last forever……**

_I know, but I might as well enjoy it while it lasts……_

**Someone's getting wrong influences from a certain pervert……**

_"HEY!"_

_Hey! I said it the good way!_

**With Rika acting the way she's acting, I don't think there's a good way……**

****

"Takato?" Rika insisted.

"Huh? Oh, yes! Won't your family say something if, well……they……" Takato's blush told Rika the rest.

"See us? Nah, they won't……they will be busy with some guy from a fashion magazine and his son………I bet he's a total cutie……"

_Hey!_

_"Watch out, Takato. She looks like she'll get under the sheets with anyone she sees……"_

_ARE YOU SAYING RIKA IS EASY!?_

_"Hey, hey, lover boy, calm down……but take into account I wasn't the one who said it……"_

_Why, you…_

**Stop it, you two!**

****

They eventually reached Rika's place, and Takato entered the house with the certainty that he had to leave that place as fast as he could. After taking off their shoes, Rika gracefully guided him, even if Takato already knew his way around the big house. He wondered about Renamon's whereabouts. He wanted to talk to her about Rika. Renamon would help him keep her……calm until he found what the problem was. Takato gulped when he realized Rika wasn't wasting any time. She was already dragging him to her room.

"Uh, Rika?"

"Yes, Taka-chan?"

"Well……actually……shouldn't we go check on your family before, well……"

Rika giggled mischievously. "You're nervous, aren't you? I told you we shouldn't have to worry. They're pretty much busy right now. They haven't even noticed us!"

"But I'm kind of hungry!" Takato lied. He just had to find a way out of that situation. Rika turn back again. She was getting a little impatient.

"What did you say?"

Takato gulped. Her tone of voice reminded him of a second of the Rika he knew……the one he loved.

"Well……I……I won't………" _I can't say it!_

_"I can……"_

Takato groaned. _I can't believe I'm gonna let you do this……okay, you're in control!_

Takato's head lowered for a second while Chaos took control of Takato's body. As soon as he realized Takato had actually let him take control, and as soon as he realized who he had in front of him, he let go a seductive grin. Then, he pinned Rika against the wall, moving his face extremely close to hers.

"I won't be able to be at my best with an empty stomach………" he said with a low voice, making Rika shudder in ecstasy.

**You know, those two actually seemed like perfect for each other………**

_………you're so gonna pay for those words……now, Chaos, OUT!_

__

Takato's eyes twitched for a second while the change took place. Then, our nice little Takato realized how close he was to Rika and retreated a few steps back, blushing madly. But Chaos had succeeded in his job. Rika stood there, her eyes wide open and breathing heavily.

**She looks kind of turned on, doesn't she?**

_"Well, what can I say? No one can resist me………"_

**Oh, pu-lease……**

Suddenly, Rika snapped out of her trance. "Well, what are we waiting for!? Let's go have dinner!" And dragging Takato with her, Rika dashed to the kitchen.

The thing is, the rest of the Nonakas were having dinner there, as well as their guests. They were an adult man and his son, a carbon copy of him. They both had very short brown hair and green eyes, and they were both dressed very formally. When Takato noticed the way Rika looked at the young boy, he growled under his breath.

_"Aw.....little Gogglehead is jealous……"_

"Oh, Rika, young Takato! We didn't notice you!" Rika's grandmother greeted. Her daughter was busy speaking with the man, while the boy, not really interested in his father's business, looked at the two newcomers. Rika's grandma got up.

"I guess I'll have to cook an extra dish for our new guest. Rika, please join us at the table."

Rika did as told even if she wasn't really in the mood to. She was getting impatient, you know? Takato followed Rika's grandmother.

"Hmm, ma'am……"

"Uh, Takato! It's not necessary! Please go join Rika at the table, I'm sure she could use you there……"

_"Oh, she has no idea……"_

_SHUT UP!_

"Well, actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about……Rika."

The woman nodded while she picked up some food from the fridge. "So you've noticed……"

"Huh?"

"Rika's not been……her usual self since yesterday. She's acting a little more………friendly towards people."

**I don't think 'a little' or 'friendly' describe Rika's attitude, ma'am……**

"……and she seems to be getting worse as the time passes. I guess you've noticed her……attention focuses on a certain group among the population."

"You don't have to tell me." Takato replied as sweat formed on his forehead. The not-so-elderly woman smiled.

"So she has……fixed her attentions on you. How is it?"

**Strange……insane………just to put it simply, it's a living nightmare!**

"I……don't think I'm ready for it."

_"Nice choice of words, Goggles."_

The woman smiled at him again. "Well, it doesn't bother me if it helps her get a little friendlier towards people. Actually, it wouldn't bother me if you and her…well……"

Takato blushed the color of Gallantmon Crimson Mode. _"Whoa, you have her family at your feet! That's always good, Takato."_

Rika's grandmother continued. "……but I think that if she goes on like this, she might get into stuff just a little……to much for her at her age."

"She's already begun." Takato replied. "I've been doing my best to stop her……"

_"……And stop yourself, too……"_

_COULD YOU PLEASE SHUT UP!?_

"……but I won't be able to hold her any longer."

"Then you better leave this house while you can. This is her territory; we don't know what she might do."

"Yes, and I must think about what to do with the rest of the team as well. They're acting strangely, too. Not as weird as Rika, though."

"Okay, you better leave now. I'll tell her you had something very important to do."

Takato sighed. "She'll be quite disappointed……and could you please keep her away from that boy in the dining room?"

The older woman smiled. "Don't you know relationships are based in trust?"

Takato smirked. "Not in this case, ma'am."

Takato backed away to leave the house, when……

"AHEM!"

_Crap!_

"Now where do you think you're going, Gogglehead?"

_"So……what happened to 'Taka-chan'?"_

_You're NOT helping!_

Takato looked back to find the girl he loved leaning on a nearby wall, her hands on her hips, while she gave him a sexy grin, much to Chaos' please.

**You better think of something, fast……**

_I ran out of excuses!_

_"Then let me handle it!"_

_Do you have a plan?_

_"Maybe. Do you?"_

_………alright! But if I see you're getting to close to her I'll……!!!!!!_

_"Gee, calm down, I'm not that kind of guy!"_

_You're the essence if everything that's wrong in this world!_

_"……you have a point there……"_

__

Once again, Chaos took control of the body. As soon as he adapted to the switch, he walked right in front of Rika.

"Sorry, dear, but I kind of remembered an appointment……"

Takato/Chaos froze for a second when Rika wrapped her left leg around him, pulling him closer. "What could be more important than me, Taka-chan?"

Takato looked behind Rika where her grandmother looked at the couple in silent alarm. He gave him a reassuring smile before looking at Rika once more.

"Well, but tomorrow is a school day, and I don't think Ms. Asagi will accept another delay from my part. And knowing you I can tell you're planning to keep me up all night, huh?" he said mischievously. For once, it was Rika who blushed. Rika's grandma finally understood Takato's intentions (remember she still doesn't know about Chaos): he was fighting fire with fire.

Takato/Chaos continued. "If you really want me, then you'll do what's best for me, right, cute thing?"

Rika giggled like a little girl and nodded. _"I have her eating from my hand……"_

_Grr__………_

_"What, Takato? Wishing you were the one in control now?"_

"Taka-chan………at least you can give me the good night kiss, right?"

Takato's body froze completely.

_"Okay, I wasn't ready for that………wait a darn minute, what's stopping me!? Sorry, Gogglehead, but she asked for it!"_

_I DON'T THINK SO, MISTER!!!!_

__

Takato switched with his alter ego and took control, but it was too late: Chaos had made the starting move. Takato was able stop half an inch from Rika's lips. Much to our enjoyment, Rika moved the last half inch for him.

**Oh, man……we lost him……….**

_"Bad, bad, bad Gogglehead!"_

__

The kiss was simple and rather clumsy, but you can't blame them, considering they were both twelve-year-old, it was the first time for both, one of them was under a Digimon's spell and the other one wasn't really ready for it. Rika was pretty much getting into it, and Takato knew he had to put an end to it before she could even think of start Frenching him.

**What, didn't you like your first experience with French kisses?**

_I'm not really in the mood for jokes about us right now, Ruki!_

_"Why not? She's kissing you! It's a dream come true, right?"_

_Not if she's not doing it by her own free will………oh, dear God, she's opening her mouth!_

_"Full back!"_

__

Takato retreated before his fear came true. Rika opened her eyes, rather disappointed at the short length of their "magic moment". However, she felt rather satisfied with it. She gave him a sexy wink. "Good night, Taka-chan…"

_Dizzy……_

_"And not without reason!"_

*****Half an hour later……*****

Takato was exhausted……

"God, I'm exhausted!"

……yes, Takato, I already said that! Ahem, anyway, Takato was exhausted…

"God, I'm-"

**Takato, don't mess with the narrator!**

"Sorry…"

……Takato was exhausted after the longest and most challenging day of his life. Between D-Reaper and that day, he'd choose D-Reaper all over again! He collapsed on the cold, hard floor of his partner's "house".

"Takato, are you okay?" Guilmon asked his Tamer, concerned about his physical tiredness. Impmon and Calumon ate the last remnants of the candy Impmon had gotten who-knows-where last Thursday. Heck, that was one hell of a lot of candy. Takato sighed in exhaustion and looked at his partner, silently thanking him for his concern.

"It's nothing…I just……have a rough day."

_"Well, that's one way of putting it…"_

"I can tell you're concerned." A familiar female voice echoed right behind him. Takato looked back to find.

"Waaahhh!!!"

"Actually, I prefer the name Renamon."

_"Ruki, drumrolls, please!_

**Tu-run-tun-pizzzz****………**

****

Takato ignored the other two personalities living within him. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to know if you had made any progresses on the case."

"Case? I'm not a detective, you know?"

"But you do want to know what's going on. I certainly do. I won't stand another day like last Sunday."

Takato's eyes bulged in alarm. He had totally forgotten it. "Oh, my God! I totally forgot!"

……one more like that one, Takato, and I'll……ahem! In the chaotic madness of the day that was over, Takato hadn't found time to ponder what the Tamers had done that Sunday.

"What did Rika do!?" Takato wanted, no, demanded to know. Renamon twitched at the thought.

"We went to the park for some training, as usual. She has gotten more exigent with it since, well……"

_"Since I kicked her round little-"_

_IF YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE I'LL……_

_"What? What will you do!?"_

_I'LL……I'LL TAKE A PILL OF PROZAC!"_

_"You wouldn't dare!!"_

_OH, YES I WOULD!_

__

Chaos' silence was enough of an answer, he had won that one.

**But at what price……Prozac, Takato? That's just sick……**

_Shut up and let me enjoy this victory……_

_"……while it lasts……"_

_I thought SOMEONE was supposed to shut up!_

__

"…anyway, you know." Renamon continued. "The thing is, she began to pay exaggerated attention to every boy she saw, and she said some really strange comments……"

Takato groaned. "I don't think I want to know."

_"I do! I do!"_

**I'd shut up if I were you……**

_"Do you think little Gogglehead scares me?"_

__

Renamon sighed. "I decided to take her back home, and keep an eye on her. It was the best choice, especially after she began to check her phone list, looking for any guys' numbers."

Takato gulped. "And……?"

"There was only yours."

"So Rika gave up, right?"

"Oh, no. She called you, but your mother said you were still sleeping. I found it strange, being 3:00 P.M. when she called."

Takato's eyes narrowed. "Let's just say a certain someone didn't let me sleep at all at the time I was supposed to!"

_"Heh, heh, heh…………don't expect me to apologize!"_

**We're not expecting you to do that……**

"Anyway, after that, she decided to go to your house……to give you a……'surprise you'd never forget'……I still ignore what her intentions where…"

Takato was the color of my bedroom's walls: scarlet red. "It's better you stay like that, Renamon, believe me. How did you convince her not to go to my house?"

"It took quite a while, but I finally convinced her that you were too weak to find her presence comfortable."

**How come you're not pouting over the lost chance, Chaos?**

_"Are you kidding me!? At the state we were that Sunday, she would have killed us!"_

**And I just had to ask……**

Takato had one more question. "Did you by any chance……check on the others that day?"

Renamon nodded. "They're all the same. Hirokazu spent absurd amounts of money buying all kinds of expensive or valuable stuff just to show it off. Kenta spent all day watching TV, dwelling on why all those guys from TV looked better than him. Suzie wouldn't let Lopmon and Terriermon go; she played with them from sunrise to sunset……I think she played with them for a while after that, too. For once I felt sorry for the green rabbit-dog."

Takato pondered what Renamon had just told him. "And what about……"

"Jeri went to Henry's house to ask him to go out with her, but Henry was too lazy to even bother rejecting the offer. Jeri reacted……by kicking the first thing that got in her way………Terriermon."

Takato would definitely use that for future blackmailing. But for the moment, he considered the facts, and reached the obvious conclusion.

_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?_

_"Of course, we're the same."_

"Suzie, Kenta, Kazu, Ryo, Jeri, Henry and Rika………seven in total……"

"……your point being?" Impmon asked. He had listened to Renamon's story with great interest.

"Avarice, envy, pride, gluttony, wrath, sloth and……lust." Takato finally replied, swallowing saliva before saying the last word.

_"Brilliant……simply brilliant……"_

**You mean Takato's intelligence?**

_"No! Whoever did this to the Tamers is a true genius!"_

__

Takato could hear Ruki's groans. "The seven capital sins………who would have thought?"

Renamon seemed to be deep in thought. "So, you're telling me Rika's under a lust spell……"

Takato nodded. Renamon continued. "And we just left her in the house with a fourteen-year-old?"

Takato's eyes widened. _Ruki!_

**I know, I know……Renamon selected as partner.**

****

Five seconds later, Takato was riding on Kyuubimon under the effect of a Speed Card. They arrived to the house in record time and Takato practically slammed the door often. "Where is she!?" He demanded. Rika's mother arrived a second later.

"Takato! What's wrong!?"

"Miss, are your guests still here?"

"No, they left right after you did. Why?"

Takato sighed in relief. "Thank God…"

"Mom, who is it?" Rika's voice echoed from her bedroom. Takato immediately felt how he was picked up by Renamon and taken to the roof, where Rika couldn't watch them. They were, however, able to listen to Rika's conversation with her mother.

"Nobody, Rika."

"Weird……I could swear I heard a voice……"

"There's nobody out here, Rika……but I'll check out, just in case."

"Oh, okay……"

"Rika………"

"Yeah?"

"What are you hiding?"

"Me? No! Uh, I mean……well……it's such a hot night, so I kind of……well………have nothing on…………"

**Takato, you're nose-bleeding!**

_WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!? / "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!?"_

**Okay, it's confusing when the two of you talk at the same time…………**

****

*****The Next Day……*****

"Umm……Taka-chan, you're such a naughty little boy………"

*RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

And we thank God the alarm clock rang at that moment! A second too late and I'd be forced to do a serious change in the rating for this story. Anyway, Rika groaned as she was having a really nice dream, got up, yada, yada, yada, and we skip to the moment she leaves for school……you can tell I'm eager to finish this chapter, huh? Well, Rika was leaving for school, and how big would her surprise be when behind the door she found……

"Taka-chan!" She exclaimed excitedly. "Are you here to walk with me to school? How sweet!"

"Actually……" A low-pitched voice……Chaos' voice, to be precise, replied. "……how would you like a little escapade to Guilmon's place? Don't worry; it'll be just the two of us……"

Rika squealed in delight. Placing her arms around Takato's waist, she purred to his right ear. "Once we get there I'll tell you of the dream I had last night…you were in it……"

"I'm looking forward to it……" Takato softly replied, tenderly kissing her neck. As for Rika, well……

_DID SHE JUST MOAN!?_

**Easy, easy……it's all for the best……**

_I'm sure he didn't have to do THAT!_

_"Of course I had to! How else did you expect me to convince her to skip school!?"_

_You already had her under control! If you try something like that again……I'll punch myself!_

_"YOU WOULDN'T DARE!!!!"_

_TRY ME!_

**Stop it, you two! Chaos, don't take advantage of Rika!**

Takato guided Rika to the park, holding hands, of course. Nice Takato didn't complain about that, even if it was Chaos' idea. Rika then noticed they weren't going to Guilmon's place. "Taka-chan……"

"Remember that small clearing where I was hiding last Saturday?" Takato explained with a wink. Rika began to breathe heavily.

**Chaos, stop turning her on!**

_"Oh, come on! Let me enjoy this while it lasts!"_

__

They reached the aforementioned clearing, and then……

"Taka-chan, what's this all about!?"

"Sorry." Takato replied with a second wink. But Rika wasn't the only one complaining. Leomon held a strong grip on Jeri, who kept yelling words that would scandalize the average twelve-year-old boy or girl, while Guardromon held Kazu and Kenta. Cyberdramon simply watched how Ryo stuffed himself with a, no, some…no, MANY chocolate bars.

"Taka-chan, I think I deserve an expla-hey!"

Rika couldn't finish her sentence because Takato had gotten right behind her and trapped her by wrapping her arms around her body very tightly. He then joined his arms to secure a strong hold on her. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you go."

"Taka-chan, I didn't know you preferred having people looking at you. You should have told me." She said playfully, while Takato held the urge to nose-bleed. After all, his arms were kind of busy. _I just hope Renamon doesn't take too long……_

__

**Look, here they come……**

****

Indeed, Renamon was carrying a sleeping Henry on her arms. Terriermon and Lopmon held Suzie,one by the arms, one by the legs. Impmon, Calumon and Guilmon followed closely.

"How was it?" Takato asked.

"He was easy." Renamon said while letting go of Henry, who fell to the grass with a loud thud, without even waking up. Jeri immediately complained.

"HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO **MY MAN!?"**

"As for the girl……she really likes holding Terriermon and Lopmon, not the other way around." Renamon finished, ignoring the psychotic puppet girl.

Takato nodded, he had switched places with Chaos in controlling the body. "Renamon, can you please……?"

Renamon nodded and proceeded to switch places in holding Rika. Rika obviously complained quite a bit. "So……what now?" Renamon asked.

Takato sighed. "Well, we keep a close look on them so that they don't do anything stupid until we find the reason of their strange behavior."

"Strange!? Do you think I'm strange, Takato!?"

Takato did notice the fact she had stop calling him "Taka-chan".

"Takato……how are we gonna find the cause of all this if we have to keep looking after them?"

_"The kitsune has a point……"_

__

"Well, maybe that won't be necessary." A voice spoke from right behind them. Takato was the first to recognize it. "The Taomon! Wait……"

"Takato, I hate to disappoint you, but that's not a Taomon." Renamon replied. As Takato had selected all of his friends' Digimon thanks to the Omnivice, he could get an instant check on the intruder's stats.

_Doumon__, a Demon Man Digimon of the Ultimate Level, Data type. A master of the onmyou art of divination which excels at curses and assassination! Her Demon Gate Escape and Spell Prohibition Paper attacks trap her enemies in an eternal nightmare! WARNING: Attack quadruples against Taomon._

__

"I guess that puts you out of the battle today, Renamon……"

_"Let me at her! Let me at her!"_

_I don't think so……_

_"Aww, nuts!"_

__

__

"I'm here for you, bearer of the Crest of Chaos! Your blood will remove the seal of kindness!"

__

********************************************************************

********************************************************************

End of chapter 4……

DR: Yeah, yeah, I know it's kind of short. I could have written a little more, but I wanted it to end like this. Well, that's it for the humor. The next chapter is serious……very serious.

Terriermon: You tortured me in this chapter!

DR: Well, poor Takato didn't deserve to be the only one being tortured……

Terriermon: You call that a torture!? Rika was practically offering herself to him!

Rika's voice, somewhere very far away: **WHAT!?**

****

DR: Damn it, Terriermon! *runs away*

Terriermon: Well, I guess it's up to me to finish this thing……

**Next Chapter: Doumon has finally appeared! She'll reveal her intentions to the Tamers, and Takato will convince her to remove the spell, now that she has what she's looking for. However, the Tamers' reactions after they return to normal are not precisely……the best. When Rika finds out what she didn't under Doumon's spell, she'll make a mistake deadly enough to make lose the only thing that gave him strength to go on: his hope. Uh oh, it's the moment we've feared, Chaos has taken TOTAL CONTROL! Madness, cool action scenes and our all-time favorite Dark Knight at its best in the next chapter of "Theory of Chaos": No Hope Only Leads to Chaos!**

Terriermon ([Momentai_numberone@coolemails.com][1])

****

   [1]: mailto:Momentai_numberone@coolemails.com



	5. No Hope Only Leads To Chaos

DR: Now that we're done with the humor, it's time for the action!

Takato: And what about the drama and the fluffy Rukatoness!?

DR: Drama, Rukato and Coma-state fantasies will have to wait until next chapter.

Takato: Ah, ok……WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?

DR: Me? I said……what was it? Oh, I don't own Digimon.

Takato: That was NOT what you said!

DR: Easy, boy, easy……

**THEORY OF CHAOS**

**Chapter 5**

**_No Hope Only Leads to Chaos_**

****

****

****

"I'm here for you, bearer of the Crest of Chaos! Your blood will remove the seal of kindness!"

**_Let me guess: another Digimon who wants to kill me, right?_**

**_"Takato has no luck with the la-la-la-ladies!!!"_**

****

Takato groaned. He was getting tired of Chaos' constant humiliating, insulting, and its attempts to break free. Besides, he wasn't really at top shape to battle Doumon. _I guess WarGrowlmon will have to do……_

**Takato, the spell……**

_Oh, yes!_

Takato moved his right leg forward and clenched his right fist. "What did you do to my friends!?" He shouted angrily.

_Hey……how did that sound?_

_"Oh, dear God………"_

Doumon chuckled in response. Renamon grunted under her breath. She was getting tired of that Taomon-wannabe. The Demon Man Digimon paced around the place, shooting smirks at the Tamers.

"Them? They're under my Silent Curse. It was just for entertainment. It was interesting watching you handle the red-haired girl, Chaos."

_"See? She wants me! Let me handle it!"_

_No way!_

"Remove the spell, now!" Takato demanded. Doumon chuckled. 

"Haven't your parents taught you any modals, little one? You say please when you're asking for something."

Takato grunted. "It was a demand, not a request."

Doumon chuckled even more. "Oh, you're demanding _moi_? How……interesting. And what if I refuse?"

Takato looked back, at the Tamers. To his surprise, they weren't really paying attention to Takato and Doumon. They were too lost in their new personalities that they didn't even care about the potential threat. _Just when I could use their help……to think Rika was almost forcing me to avoid fighting a few days ago……gosh, I miss those days, who'd believe that?_

**You say that as if it had been ages since then……**

_It sure feels like so……_

Takato looked at Rika. Since Renamon had let her go after Doumon's appearance, the girl was now wasting her time using her "female charm" on Ryo, who was pretty much ignoring her. Takato would have chuckled in another situation. _"Fill his stomach, then you MIGHT have a chance, Nonaka."_

Takato then looked at Guilmon, who slowly walked next to him. At least he could still count with him, as the other Digimon were kind of busy. He could listen to Cyberdramon's snarl from his left. _Easy there……_

"If you refuse, I'm sure Guilmon and Cyberdramon here are more than willing to reduce you to data. I'm sure the spell will subside if you're destroyed."

Doumon's smile disappeared, and Takato silently cheered himself. But then, the Data Digimon's smile returned with increased intensity.

"A Rookie and a Vaccine-type? Don't make me laugh……"

Takato realized Doumon was right in one thing. As strong as Cyberdramon was, Doumon still had the type advantage, and Takato ignored what kind of tricks she could use to win. Besides, he seriously doubted Cyberdramon would allow him to help him with cards, now that he had digivolved. However……

"Oh, maybe……but my Virus-type WarGrowlmon could change the odds quite a bit, don't you think?" Takato said with a smirk and Doumon's smile disappeared again.

"……Silent Curse, retreat………"

Takato smiled as the spell was retired. There wasn't much trouble when Kazu and Kenta found themselves being held by Guardromon, or Jeri with Leomon, or when Henry woke up on the soft grass. But there was, well……

"Aaaahh!!!!! You JERK!!!"

*SMACK*

"HEY! What was that for, Rika!?"

"You're asking me that, you…you pervert!? I don't think I was the one who got so awfully close to you, Mr. Perfect!"

**Oh, if she just knew……**

"I didn't do anything! I was just…eating……this……candy bar?" Ryo stammered as he realized he had no idea what was he doing there. Takato looked around to realize the others were just the same. Takato and Renamon looked at each other.

"They don't seem to remember a thing……" Renamon concluded. Terriermon and Lopmon soon joined them.

"What, are you telling me they don't remember A THING!? What about all the abuse I received!?"

"It never happened." Takato replied with a smile. "And I think it's better that way."

"Well, I don't think so!" Terriermon said, walking towards his Tamer. Henry was shaking his head after a good 50+ hours of sleep. He recognized his Digimon between the blurry images his lazy eyes managed to distinguish.

"Terriermon……what am I doing here?"

"Well, that's good question!" Jeri shouted angrily, realizing what she had just done a second later. "Sorry, I don't know what took over me."

Takato and Terriermon shook their heads. "No problem." Terriermon replied.

_"To think that girl called Rika a slut yesterday……"_

Terriermon took air. "Well, it seems lime this Taomon-wannabe here put you under a spell and all of you began acting like total jackasses."

"Terriermon!"

"No!" Ryo insisted, exchanging glances with Rika, Takato and Doumon. "Let him continue……what did we do?"

"Well……from what Renamon told me, your stomach seemed to be a bottomless pit, and you just wouldn't stop eating."

Ryo blushed, ignoring Rika's chuckling next to him.

"Kazu was a total jerk, showing off as if there were no tomorrow, Kenta just wouldn't stop criticizing everything and everyone, Suzie was extremely possessive of her belongings, Henry was the laziest man in the world and Jeri was unable to control her anger, shouting insults to everyone she saw."

Jeri looked at Leomon with a puzzled expression. "Is……is that true, Leomon?"

Leomon nodded sadly. Jeri looked down. "If……if I insulted you somehow, please forgive me."

Leomon smiled. "You weren't yourself, Jeri."

Jeri smiled in relief, and then she noticed something. "How come you evolved?"

"Takato……used his special Digivice."

"Oh……"

"Wait! What about me!?" Rika asked. Takato's eyes bulged in alarm when he saw Terriermon's devious look.

"You-you-you don't want to know!" Takato stammered.

"Oh, yes I do, Gogglehead! Spit it, Terriermon!"

Terriermon smirked. "You were head over heels for Takato here."

**Technically, she was like that with every man she saw……**

"WHAT!?" Rika shouted. "Is that true, Gogglehead!?"

Takato looked away, to meet Doumon's chuckling. She was obviously enjoying the result of her work. "It……it wasn't just me……" Takato said softly.

Terriermon laughed in delight. He would speak of this for months! And Takato……oh, he would enjoy teasing Takato so much……

"Oh, come on……why so shy all of a sudden, 'Taka-chan'?" Doumon said with a smirk. Takato blushed even harder and Terriermon couldn't help but laugh like the insane mon he is. "I had completely forgotten about that one, Doumon! Thanks!"

"'Taka-chan'?" Henry wondered.

"It's the way Rika called Takato……" Terriermon explained between his laughter. Takato was already the color of ripe tomatoes and Rika was about to explode. Kazu's and Kenta' s chuckling didn't help at all. Renamon felt sorry for Takato, just like Jeri did when she understood. However, the vulpine Digimon couldn't help but make the comment that drove Rika insane.

"I think you two have a 'date' of sorts next Friday, Rika."

Terriermon was in heaven. He would remind everyone of this for years. "I knew you had it in you, Foxymon!"

Renamon glared at the small Digimon before looking away. She would let him have it his way……for now.

As for Rika, well……her words say it better than mine.

"A date? A DATE!?" Rika shouted, soon followed by slight laughter. "HA! I'D NEVER GO ON A DATE WITH THE STUPID GOGGLEHEAD! NOT NOW, **AND NOT IN A MILLION YEARS!!!!**"

In life, you learn there are certain things you must never say to certain people.  For example, they say it's not polite to ask a woman's age or you must never say to your girlfriend/wife/lover/couple that she's gaining some extra pounds, etcetera. We all know we unleash mixed feelings when we make those kinds of mistakes. Rika would learn it the hard way……the hard, tough, painful, death-threatening way. By saying those words, Rika signed the Tamers' death sentence.

Why did Takato react the way he did? The main reason was that Rika was being completely sincere. The girl had no interest whatsoever in dating or having boyfriends. Besides, the things Terriermon and Renamon had said weren't of much help. They only worsened the rage forming in her heart. Such rage was supposed to be aimed towards Doumon, but somehow it ended being directed to Takato. 

**Takato? Takato! Takato!? Takato………**

Rika breathed heavily, a little better now that she had released her anger. Not being the kind of person who thinks of what others might think of what she says, she didn't notice Takato's response until it was too late. Rika looked at Doumon, who seemed to be greatly enjoying the show. Even Terriermon's smile had disappeared, as even he knew that Rika had gone just waaay too far. Everyone, even Ryo, looked at Takato, and Rika followed their line of sight.

"Huh? Go-Gogglehead?"

Takato had walked to the edge of the clearing, hiding his face from the Tamers and Doumon. His whole body was shaking, his fists were clenched and his head was lowered at its most.

_Did I……did my words actually……hurt him?_

However, Rika didn't say a word about it. She didn't know, and to be honest, she didn't really care. She only had to get rid of Doumon, and problem solved. Maybe it was better like that. After all, it was already too late……

*****Inside Takato*****

A completely dark room, its only furniture being the tall white and rather classy table and the three chairs around it. Chaos was enjoying a glass of whisky, while Ruki attempted a conversation with a visibly depressed Takato. He was in the exact same position his body was.

"Takato……you know she was just……"

"Joking? Please, Ruki, I'm not that stupid. She meant it. She really did."

Ruki sighed and stood in front of Takato. She used her right hand to lift Takato's chin. "Come on, Takato, she's just twelve, what could she know? Besides, she's just a little girl!"

Takato's eyes widened in anger. "Never say that again!" he said with a strength that sent Ruki backwards.

"Oh, come on, you can't just give up like that………"

"Yes, I can……" Takato sighed. "……who was I kidding, Ruki? What made me think I actually had a chance?"

"That's what I've been saying!" Chaos commented. "We should have kept the other Rika."

Takato ignored his alter-ego's words and walked away from the place. "Takato, wait! Where do you think we're going?"

Takato showed Ruki a grim smile. "I appreciate your concern, Ruki, but I'd really like to be by myself now."

Takato continued walking until Chaos interrupted. "So……what now?"

Takato thought about it for a second, and then shrugged. "Do as you prefer."

Ruki's eyes widened in alarm. The grin in Chaos' face couldn't mean anything good.

*****Outside*****

"Takato, say something! You're really scaring us!" Hirokazu commented. He had remained in the same position for too long, without even moving a muscle. Without a warning, Takato turned around and looked at the Tamers. Renamon was the first to notice it.

_The sadness……the anger………the desperation…………this is………_

"You're Chaos!" Renamon finally concluded. Everyone immediately looked at the fox-like Digimon. "What!?" Rika shouted in alarm.

"Yes, it's me." Takato replied. "My other me left to think about how pathetically he's wasted this last year. Now it's my turn to have some fun."

***** Chaos (Inside Takato) *****

Ruki had left behind Takato. He didn't really care about it, but……

A smirk slowly showed up in his face. He was finally free. There were no bounds, Takato was too depressed to even try to control him, and the annoying Ruki wasn't there to bother him. Once again, he didn't really care about Ruki, but Takato………that was a different story.

After millennia of living in human bodies, he had grown used to partially feeling what the host personality felt. That's how he had learned to understand……and despise human feelings. Things like love, friendship or care had no meaning to him, as they were just obstacles that made his objective more difficult. And he had had no trouble removing those feelings from his mind and accomplishing his purpose in life: disorder and destruction. 

And then, it was Takato's turn to host him. Takato Matsuki, the one supposedly designed by the Digital World to "control" him. Chaos chuckled at the idea. Takato had turned out to be quite a particular specimen. But deep inside, where it really mattered, he was just a little kind, so eager to feel and love as any other. And those feeling had made it unable for Takato to control him. Chaos was as free to do what he liked to do as usual, but……Takato had done something else to him.

With Takato, the feelings weren't partial or weakened. Chaos felt EVERYTHING Takato felt. He felt fear at his mother's angry face, and he felt Takato's boredom when his father asked him to work on the Bakery. He felt the thrill of playing the Digimon Card Game and the deception of losing. And most importantly, he felt Takato's desire to protect his friends……and the undying love for Rika Nonaka.

He had never felt like that before. It was so overwhelming he could barely bear with it. He couldn't understand could humans could resist such a weight of different emotions every day. And to make things worse, Takato's emotions seemed to be stronger than the average human. His anger was more intense that a normal anger, his sadness was more painful than the standard……and the way he felt love………it was too much for him.

That was the difference between Ruki and him. Ruki had no idea of the sadness his other side felt at the moment. It was horrible, as if a void had opened right below him and sucked him to a realm of eternal pain and darkness. He didn't understand why Takato felt like that, though. After all, as Ruki said, it was just a girl. Takato would probably meet tons of other girls……until he put an end to Takato's life, or course. But the feelings were there, and he could experience them at their fullest. Sadness because of the lost love……jealously at the man his loved one respected more than him……anger towards those who couldn't understand him……….

"I can't take it anymore!" Chaos shouted to no one. He was alone in the darkness of Takato's mind. He didn't want to feel like that anymore, it was too much. He couldn't stand the pain; he was not supposed to feel any pain! He cursed fate for sealing him in Takato's body, but then a smile appeared on his face.

After all, to get rid of the pain, he only had to get rid of the source………

*****Outside*****

"No hope……." Chaos muttered. Jeri felt a shiver going down her spine. Something told her she wouldn't be as lucky as last time. She could almost feel the pain Takato irradiated. _Takato………does it really hurt that much………when your loved one doesn't………_

She couldn't help but looking at Henry for a second, but she forced herself to shake the thoughts out of her head. 

"No hope……" Chaos muttered again. Jeri decided to give it a try. She still didn't understand Takato, but maybe, if he just allowed her to……

She began to walk closer to him. "Jeri!" Leomon shouted in alarm, but the girl continued. She stopped for a moment to look at the Tamers. They all seemed to be in shock, especially Rika and Renamon. Jeri knew Renamon, so she understood the Data Digimon knew exactly what they were against. Rika, on the other side, was simply there………Jeri saw through her violet eyes, she saw the Rika hidden behind Rika……

_It's only a façade………the attitude, the expression, the whole personality……it's the cover of a fragile girl, a girl who went through so much pain she's now afraid to feel……afraid of friends………afraid of love…………_

Jeri shook her head, silently feeling sorry of the Digimon Queen. She continued walking closer and closer to Takato, until they were only a few steps between them.

"No hope………"

"Takato, there's always hope." She said sweetly, offering him her right hand.

*****Inside*****

_"What……what is she trying to accomplish? Does she want to die!?"_

Chaos couldn't understand what the girl wanted from him. He went through Takato's memory, searching for info on this girl.

_"Oh, yes………Jeri Katou, our Gogglehead's first love………"_

Of course, Takato's crush on Jeri wasn't more than that, a crush. _"And he was smart enough to realize that……even if……I am to blame for that……"_

Yes, after all, it was his appearance which had dramatically changed Jeri's feelings towards Takato. Jeri would never forget Megidramon, the sight was stuck in her mind just as it was in Takato's. And the events after that……D-Reaper had completely changed her personality. Yes, she had returned to be the cheerful and lovely girl, but……at which prize?

Chaos shook all those thoughts away. He didn't give a damn about Jeri Katou, he didn't care about Takato's friends. The only think he needed was destruction. After all, it was his purpose.

Then………why did he feel so strange when he looked at her? (A/N: Oooh……Takato/Jeri hint……)

*****Outside*****

"Takato……" Jeri said softly. Takato tried to avoid her gaze and looked at his partner, Guilmon. _"Yes……" Chaos thought with satisfaction. Just as he expected, Guilmon was under the Hazard's influence. Without Takato to resist him, he could unleash the full power of the Matrix Evolution. Oh, they would be in for a surprise……._

However, there was also Ruki. Wouldn't he need the Omnivice to activate the evolution? _"Well……we'll never know unless we try……"_

A smirk formed in his face, and Jeri immediately retreated. _The pain……the nothingness in his eyes………_

"Megidramon……" she muttered. ".No……….." Whatever power was about to be unleashed, it was stronger, darker…and deadlier than Megidramon.

"Bio-merge, activate!" Takato shouted so that everyone could hear him. He could see the terror forming in the Digimon's faces. They knew what was coming next.

"Renamon!" Terriermon shouted in alarm. Renamon had the same terrified expression in her face. She could feel it…

"The darkness……approaches……Rika!"

Both Rika and Henry looked at their partners with puzzled looks, unable to understand why they were so afraid.

"Renamon, if I didn't know you, I'd think you're frightened."

"Rika, I'M terrified!"

Rika's eyes widened. What could possibly cause terror in Renamon's heart? Henry looked at his partner, who was having trouble expressing his ideas.

"Henry……we have……we have to run!"

"Run? Why?"

"I don't see what's the big deal, he's just gonna digivolve." Ryo commented. Cyberdramon's growl forced his partner to look back.

"The darkness……….a powerful foe……Ryo, get ready to fight!" the dragon Digimon managed to say. Just for a little humor, it's the longest chain of words Cyberdramon has said in the whole series! Yay!

"Rika, Terriermon is right, we have to run!"

"Renamon, what's the problem!?"

Renamon was practically shouting. "Run, Rika! Run before it's too late!"

"IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE! YOU SHALL FALL LIKE LEAVES IN THE WIND UNDER THE FORCE OF MY LANCE!"

"What…what's going on!?" Hirokazu said, Kenta tugged behind Guardromon for protection. Renamon shot a loot at Lopmon, who immediately understood.

"Suzie, let's go play somewhere."

"Play? Yay! Let's go!"

Takato watched how the little girl and the Lopmon left. He didn't really care. After all, Suzie had never done anything to Takato, unless we count calling him the "Angwy Kid". _"Well…now that everything's settled……let's play!"_

**MATRIX EVOLUTION**

"Guilmon, digivolve to………ChaosGallantmon!"

A huge shockwave followed the evolution, sending Tamers and Digimon several meters away. Rika and Renamon were the first to get up, soon followed by Ryo and the others. The Tamers looked in awe at the knight in black armor standing before them.

"Is that……is that Takato?" Kenta finally asked. Rika looked at Renamon.

"What…….what is he?"

Renamon shook her head. "………a Digimon that wasn't supposed to exist."

Henry took out his D-3 and Terriermon reluctantly fixed his gaze on the Dark Knight.

_ChaosGallantmon_, a Mega Level, Virus type Dark Knight Digimon. The Death Bringer, Dancer of the Black Flames, the one who summons disaster……a creature born of a holy knight with a tainted soul, whose only objective is precisely that: to change everything into nothing. His Judecca Prison and Demon's Disaster attacks can only be described with one word: abysmal.__

Henry gulped. "That…….that's not very helpful."

Terriermon shook his head. "And I don't think he has any control of himself this time……"

"THIS TIME!?" Rika shouted. "You mean this thing has shown up before!?"

Renamon looked down. She already felt defeated, even if the battle hadn't even begun. "This Digimon was able to defeat Azulongmon and Zhuquiaomon by himself."

"WHAT!?" The Tamers shouted in unison. Was that Digimon really that powerful? They looked at their Digimon, and they all replied with weak nods…all but Cyberdramon.

"Don't look at me; I wasn't there yet…….but that explains why Zhuquiaomon's lair was nothing but rubble when I arrived." (Check "Omni-Tamer", chapter 9!)

"But……but……" Rika stammered. "……but it's just the stupid Gogglehead!"

_Rika, stop it! Jeri's mind pleaded._

ChaosGallantmon laughed very loudly at Rika's words. "Why don't come and see what 'stupid Gogglehead' can do, huh?"

Terriermon was shivering in terror. He looked at Renamon. "So…….what now?"

"Now, we fight."

"WHAT!? We don't stand a chance! Four Megas and two Ultimates won't stop Takato!"

"……if you have a better suggestion, I'm all ears."

Terriermon growled. "Oh, this is great……hey, ChaosGallantmon!"

The Dark Digimon looked at the small animal. "I see you do remember my name. What is it?"

"Be nice enough and absorb my data when you're done with me. I don't want to spend eternity floating around this town." Terriermon said sadly.

ChaosGallantmon chuckled. "Sure……I'll do it……just because the other me really likes you."

"Lucky me…" Terriermon said sarcastically. He looked at Henry. "Can we please get this over with?"

Henry gulped. The expression on Terriermon's face told him just how strong ChaosGallantmon was. "Alright……Momentai……I guess."

"I'm not in the mood for Momentai right now, Henry." Terriermon replied.

Renamon looked at Rika. "Rika, please, don't underestimate Takato……but I guess you should know that by now."

Rika smirked. "Oh, yes………let's give Gogglehead a beating he'll never forget……"

_"So, you have really forgotten……" Rika's conscience spoke to her._

_Huh?_

_"Oh, no, don't expect me to say a thing. You'll remember……the hard way, I guess."_

Ryo looked at Cyberdramon. "Looking forward to it, huh, partner?"

Cyberdramon simply snarled before returning to his rookie form. Ryo sighed. "Oh well……I just hope Renamon and Terriermon are exaggerating."

Jeri looked at Leomon, a tear slowly falling down her cheeks. "Do we really have to do this………fight Takato?"

Leomon grimly nodded. Jeri sobbed loudly. "But……but he's my friend! I can't do it! I can't hurt him!"

Leomon gently placed his large hand on Jeri's cheek. "He's not Takato right now. Something terrible has taken over him, and we must do our best to bring Takato back."

ChaosGallantmon laughed. "Me, Evil? I'm not evil! Just……misunderstood! Besides, if wimpy Takato wanted to return, he'd already had done so."

Jeri looked down. She couldn't bear watching him. She took out her deck, and the first card she touched transformed into a blue card.

_For Takato……_

She looked back at Hirokazu, who already had a blue card of his own. She smiled and nodded, even if tears were still trickling down her face.

"Alright, let's do it!"

Takato smirked inside his black core. "Finally! I was getting impatient!"

"Time to bio-merge!" Rika, Ryo and Henry shouted in unison.

"Let's do some card slashing!" Kazu and Jeri soon followed.

"MarineAngemon, do your best!" Kenta concluded as he prepared his deck of cards.

ChaosGallantmon shook his head. _"Fools……don't you realize………"_

*****Eastern Quadrant. Server, to be exact*****

_……you don't stand a chance?_

Takeru wiped the sweat on his forehead as he walked through the vast desert of Server. He could have easily used Pegasusmon, or maybe even 'it', but……he couldn't help it. He loved that place. It didn't have the harshness of the Southern Quadrant, it wasn't as plagued with humans as the Western Quadrant and it wasn't just forests and tall mountains like the Northern Quadrant. That's why he walked: to enjoy it at its most. Patamon soundly slept on his head. TK always wondered how the small Digimon was able to sleep in the most awkward situations and positions. But he head more important questions in his mind.

_What can I do? If I leave them by themselves, Takato will kill them, that's for sure…maybe……maybe it's time another of the Tamers receives the Revelation, just like Rika received it during the battle against the Nightmare……_

**Are you sure the Revelation will be enough, Takeru?**

Pauline, the name for Takeru's Emerald Omnivice had spoken with her soft and kind-of sweet voice. Takeru had programmed her to be exactly like that: loving and sweet, yet not submissive. He had no use for an Omnivice that agreed with everything he said.

_Yes, you're right……what they need……is power. The power to defeat ChaosGallantmon._

**But……how? Is there such a power? Maybe if you……**

_No, that's unthinkable! Takato and the Tamers must learn to solve their problems by themselves. If they don't, they'll never be ready when The Day of the Prophecy arrives. I might be able to deal with ChaosGallantmon, but that wouldn't be the right solution. No, what they need……is something they already have._

**……the Dual Force, maybe?**

_You're as smart as ever, Pauline..._

**Stop it! I'm gonna blush!**

Takeru smiled. He loved talking to Pauline and Patamon. He looked at the road ahead. Gennai's place was still far away. Even after his encounter with Kari and Matt, and even if he knew they'd probably be looking for him, he had been somehow summoned to that place. He couldn't just resist the call of the Digital World. He loved that place, and that's why he had vowed to protect it.

_But……who should I reveal the truth to this time?_

**How about Henry Wong? He seems reliable enough to me……**

_No……not yet._

**Then what about Ryo Akiyama?**

_No! He's an Enlightened One; he must find the truth by himself……_

Takeru smiled. It was so simple……he was forced to wake up his partner, who groggily got up. "Huh? Uhh……what is it……?"

TK waited for Patamon to yawn before he continued. "Time for you to Digivolve, Patamon. We have to get out of this desert as fast as possible."

"Huh……why?"

"I'm going to have a little mind chat with one of the Tamers, and I'm not establishing the mental link under this heat, that's for sure!"

**********************************************************************

**********************************************************************

End of Chapter 5……

DR: Well, that's it for chapter 5……next chapter, the fight of the century!

Terriermon: Stay close for the last two chapters! I'm gonna get my butt kicked, huh?

DR: Sure thing! Oh, yeah, let's try something new! It's time for next chapter's preview! Today, it's Henry's turn!

(_The Biggest Dreamer_ starts playing)

**Henry's Voice: Hey, it's me, Henry! Hello, Mom! *gets whacked on the head by DR* Okay! Okay! ChaosGallantmon's power is overwhelming! He gets rid of Grapleomon, Andromon, MegaGargomon, MarineAngemon and Justimon without sweating! Now only Sakuyamon's left, and her attacks don't even scratch his armor! If someone doesn't do a thing, Takato will kill Rika! How will we stop Takato's dark side from destroying everyone and everything!? You don't want to miss the next chapter of "Theory of Chaos": Tamers Unite against the Chaos!**


	6. Tamers Unite Against The Chaos

DR: A new chapter! Whoa, I'm fast!

Terriermon: Come on, I want to see how we take care of ChaosGallantmon!

DR: What makes you think you'll take care of ChaosGallantmon?

Terriermon: Well, I don't think you'll let him kill us and destroy the world, right?

DR: Of course not, this is not a DBZ fic. Well, I don't own Digimon, that's for sure. The only things I own are the concept of the Omnivice and the Triad. Let's go to the next chapter, it's the end of Doumon, and the Tamers versus Takato! Jeri receives "the revelation" and Takato decides to throw away his life……for love.

**THEORY OF CHAOS**

**Chapter 6**

**_Tamers Unite Against the Chaos_**

****

****

_You've got mail._

Daneel loudly yawned in his office at Hypnos Center. He hadn't had much to do after the Nightmare, and his new job with Yamaki was slowly acquiring a rather calm pace. Besides, he had no new reports on Takato or Ryo. Due to his increased amount of free time, he had absolutely nothing to do. Wasting his time on the now-restored Internet, Daneel checked his mail account to discover a message from the Lord of Humans, Takeru Takaishi. He didn't waste a second and clicked on the hyperlink, opening the new window with the message.

_It's been a while, Daneel. I'm sure you now have nothing to do, so I'll update you on what's going on. A wild Digimon evaded the Hypnos system and entered the Real World seeking for the powers of the Crest of Chaos. Circumstances had caused Takato to release Chaos' full power, and right now the Tamers are fighting ChaosGallantmon, the bio-merged product of Chaos and Guilmon. Don't let anyone interfere in the battle, that's my only order. The Tamers as they are right now will be unable to defeat ChaosGallantmon, but I'm working on the unlocking of a new Dual Force skill which might help them. To be honest, I doubt it'll be enough. Our only hope is for Takato to regain control of his dark traits. Good luck._

_Takeru.___

_P.D. Don't try to contact me, I'll be busy dealing with ChaosGallantmon. Then, I'll go gather more info on Project Asmodeus._

Daneel sighed in disbelief when he was done. _To think I'm the one supposed to give him info, not the other way around……_

He immediately clicked the 'Delete' button. He couldn't take any risks. _ChaosGallantmon__……the name itself sounds terrifying. He thought. But the viral knight was the last thing that worried him. He trusted Lord Takeru, even if the former Digi-Destined of Hope didn't have much faith in his possibilities. However, the thought of a Digimon evading the Hypnos scan was intimidating._

_I personally upgraded the Hypnos System……it uses the mainframe's full power, it's impossible for a Digimon to go past it unnoticed……_

He looked around the office. Amongst the mountains of paper and datasheets, he found his deck of cards. He spent most of his free time toying with it, looking for ways to improve it or inventing new card strategies. Maybe he'd challenge Rika or Ryo one of those days, even if he knew it was a sure defeat. He looked each of the cards, one by one, until he stopped in a certain card. 

_Unless……the wild Digimon didn't come from the Digital World itself……___

Daneel immediately got up and took his laptop and his deck of cards. He reshuffled the deck to mix the "Dark Area" card he had been looking at with the other cards and left the office. He would have to make a short trip to the Digital World, but there was something he had to pick up at his apartment first.

_Jeez, the moment Lord Takeru chooses to go into 'Do not disturb' mode………_

*************************************************************************

**MATRIX EVOLUTION**

"Leomon, Matrix Digivolve to……Grapleomon!"

"Guardromon, Matrix Digivolve to……Andromon!"

"Terriermon, Digivolve to……MegaGargomon!"

"Monodramon, Digivolve to……Justimon!"

"Renamon, Digivolve to……Sakuyamon!"

Takato yawned. "Are you finally done?" he complained. Rika growled. "Who does he think he is?"

"He does have a reason to show off, Rika, he's extremely powerful."

"For God's sake, if you keep talking about how almighty Gogglehead is, I'll go crazy!"

"Rika, I'm just speaking with the truth. This will be the toughest battle we'll have to face. Not only we're fighting a formidable foe, but he's also one of our friends, too."

"If I cared about that, maybe……" Rika snorted.

"So………" ChaosGallantmon said menacingly. "………who's gonna be first?" Only then, his caught something he had skipped for a while.

"Wait a second………someone is awkwardly silent in this place……"

He looked to his right, where Doumon had inconspicuously walked to the edge of the small clearing the in the forest. "Ah..umm……"

Takato snorted. "Please don't tell me you were trying to escape. Weren't you the one who was after me in the first place? Well, I'm here, I want to know what'll you do now that you've found me."

Doumon backed away a few steps. She was in front of a Mega Digimon, a Virus-type Mega Digimon, actually. She knew her attacks would be useless against his dark armor. _But……what if……_

The Demon Man Digimon closed her eyes to prepare a spell.

"Silent Curse……huh?"

Doumon had fired her spell to the air, because ChaosGallantmon had disappeared. She looked around her, behind her, above her, but he had simply vanished. The Tamers also watched the desperate Ultimate Digimon look for her opponent.

"I'm too fast for you, Doumon!"

Suddenly, ChaosGallantmon reappeared right in front of Doumon, startling her. Before the Data Digimon could try something, the dark knight used his right hand to grab Doumon's head, crushing it with his overwhelming strength.

"Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!! Great Lord, please help meeeeeeEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Eventually, what once was Doumon became nothing but tiny data bits. ChaosGallantmon remained there, while Takato had a sinister grin on his face. "What a wuss……she didn't even count as a warm-up. So……." He said, turning to face the Digimon Tamers. "Now, really, who's gonna be first?"

Jeri, Kazu, Kenta, Ryo, Henry and Rika remained silent, unable to even think at the sight of the darkness that Digimon irradiated.

"I'm waiting! I don't have all day, you know!? Gogglehead might ruin it any moment!"

Grapleomon and Andromon exchanged a glance and then they looked at their Tamers, who nodded in response.

"US!" Both Ultimate Digimon shouted.

"Digi-modify! Offense Plug-In N, activate!"

"Digi-modify! Aurvandil's Arrow, activate!"

Grapleomon charged forward while Andromon prepared the lightning arrow. ChaosGallantmon simply chuckled.

"Lion Whirlwind Kick!" The Beast Man Digimon shouted, but now even the attack boost he received from Jeri's card helped him against ChaosGallantmon. His whirlwind kick met an unexpected end when his foot slammed against the dark knight's shield. The impact sent Grapleomon backwards several feet.

"Aurvandil's Arrow!" Andromon shouted as he launched a perfect copy of Valkyrimon's attack. ChaosGallantmon didn't have enough time to block the arrow with his shield, but he didn't even bother giving it a try. He simply received the attack, which not even made a crack in the armor. Hirokazu was left dumbfounded.

"No way………"

"It didn't work……" Jeri replied. Rika, Ryo and Henry remained speechless.

"We told you! You can't say we didn't tell you. This guy is serious!"

"Terriermon!" Henry replied, but his thoughts were different. _This is no time to play big-ass Tamers……if we don't give it our best, he'll kill us!_

ChaosGallantmon simply stood there, shaking his head at the Tamer's futile effort. "Heh, that……kind of tickled. Now, I guess it's my turn."

Moving at incredible speed, ChaosGallantmon first dashed until he got between Grapleomon and Andromon. Then, he suddenly turned left to charge towards Grapleomon.

"Lion Beast Killing Wave!"

Takato simply bent his body downwards and the attack went above him, directed towards Andromon, who was forced to move aside as fast as he could. ChaosGallantmon tried to hit Grapleomon with his left fist, but the Ultimate Digimon jumped upwards and stood on the black shield, jumping again to gain even more height. Takato smirked inside his black core as ChaosGallantmon quickly turned around 180 degrees and shot his lance attack directly at Grapleomon.

"Demon's Disaster!"

In midair and unable to avoid the attack, Grapleomon was sent even higher by the impact which severely weakened him in the process. This gave ChaosGallantmon more than enough time to dash towards Andromon at an incredible speed for a knight wearing such a bulky armor. The cyborg Digimon took to long to prepare an attack, mostly because both Jeri and Hirokazu were too shocked to be of any help.

"Spiral-argh!!!"

Andromon was just preparing his attack when ChaosGallantmon jumped and slammed both feet against the android's face, using the impulse to launch himself upwards, even higher than the immobilized Grapleomon. When ChaosGallantmon was high enough, he launched his attack once again.

"Demon's Disaster!"

The powerful beam that came out of his lance struck right on Grapleomon's stomach, sending him back down and slamming him against the barely conscious Andromon, both receiving the energy blast's full power. When the smoke cleared out, the two Ultimate, now unconscious, had returned to their Champion forms. ChaosGallantmon gracefully landed on the soft grass. "So……who's next?"

"Leomon!"

"Guardromon!"

Both Jeri and Hirokazu ran across the field to help their injured partners. Henry watched in alarm how Jeri ran right in front of ChaosGallantmon to get to Leomon. _If he does something to her, I'll……!!!!_

But ChaosGallantmon didn't move. His eyes never left Jeri's figure as she ran, but for some strange reason he didn't attack, even if both Jeri and Kazu were easy targets.

"Come on, I'm wait-hey!"

Without him noticing, MarineAngemon had gotten behind him and trapped him in one of his heart-shaped bubbles. Everyone smiled triumphantly.

"Excellent!" Terriermon shouted excitedly.

"Great job, Kenta!" Justimon said with Ryo's voice. Kenta couldn't help but smile at his role model's praise.

"Look more carefully." Renamon commented, putting an end to the Tamers' joy. ChaosGallantmon was trying to break free, he wasn't even moving at all. Everyone noticed his lance had disappeared again. Slolwy, he raised his right hand until it was just an inch away from the bubble. Suddenly, the hand transformed back to its lance form, piercing through the barrier in the process. Once the hole was done, it was easy to get out of the barrier.

ChaosGallantmon smiled. "That was lame, but it counts as an attack, so I guess it's my turn again."

Before anyone could complain, ChaosGallantmon disappeared from view. His extreme agility allowed him to get behind MarineAngemon without being noticed. Kenta searched in his deck until he chose a card.

"Digi-Modify!"

But ChaosGallantmon wouldn't wait until Kenta was done. MarineAngemon barely managed to turn around and face before the dark knight hit him with the right side of the lance, sending the fairy Digimon flying towards a nearby tree. The small Mega Digimon hit the tree trunk, just to be slammed against it again, courtesy of ChaosGallantmon's right knee. ChaosGallantmon finished his attack by crushing MarineAngemon against the tree with his massive shield. An unconscious MarineAngemon was left lying under the tree's shade when the virus Mega Digimon retreated.

ChaosGallantmon returned to the middle of the clearing, shaking his head in disappointment. 

"Kenta, Kenta, Kenta……your Digimon in a support character, you should have used his powers to heal those two over there……" Takato explained, pointing at the still unconscious Leomon and Guardromon. "……now they won't be able to fight anymore. And you call yourselves Tamers? You think you can protect this world with the way your act. Although, I can't blame you, you're just children, anyway. You think you're so cool because you have strong Digimon and fancy cards, but you still don't know how to fight strategically."

"Did you forget who you're talking with!?" Rika shouted angrily. "I'm Rika Nonaka, top card player in Japan!"

"Hey" Ryo complained. "Last time I checked, I was the top card player in Japan!"

Takato couldn't believe their stupidity. "WE'RE NOT PLAYING THAT STUPID CARD GAME, NONAKA!"

The harsh tone of voice he used froze the Tamers, who suddenly found themselves unable to do anything but looking at ChaosGallantmon. "My other side is the worst card game player in the world, but he's still the strongest of the Tamers. Now I know why."

"Why?" Henry couldn't help but ask.

"Compared to all of you, he's strangely mature. He has accepted his destiny, his purpose, the sole reason of his existence. You, on the other side, are still nothing but spoiled brats."

"That does it! You're going down!" Rika shouted, charging towards ChaosGallantmon before anybody could stop her. Sakuyamon first tried to hit the dark knight with her staff, but Takato easily moved aside. Sakuyamon leapt away in case her enemy tried to retaliate.

"Spirit Strike!"

The four foxes of fire, water, wind and lightning struck their target, which didn't even flinch. "Oh, please……and you call yourself a Mega?"

_That's……impossible…… Rika thought, finding it incredible for her strongest attack not to do a thing against the dark knight._

"He is a Virus Digimon, so he has the type advantage. His armor can easily block Ultimate-level attacks and Mega-level attacks, if they come from a Data Digimon." Renamon explained.

"So you're telling me our attacks won't do a thing!?"

"……yeah, pretty much."

Sakuyamon stood there, frozen. What could she possibly do, then? "Being a Data Digimon sucks." Rika said.

"Hey, that's rude." Renamon complained.

ChaosGallantmon walked a few steps forward. "Is that all? Well, I guess it's my turn, then."

Once again, he dashed towards Sakuyamon at amazing speed. The Data Digimon closed her eyes, waiting for the attack, but the dark knight stopped inches away from her. When Rika opened her eyes, she met ChaosGallantmon's gaze upon her, before he disappeared from sight.

"Now where did he go!?" Rika wondered.

"Urgh……aww………that really hurt………"

Leomon groaned loudly as he regained consciousness. Jeri smiled happily at the sight. "Are you okay, Leomon?"

"No, I'm definitely not okay……"

Jeri bit her lower lip. "Yeah, I guess that was a silly question……"

Next to her, Hirokazu had his eyes focused on the still-unconscious Guadromon, waiting for any reaction. Jeri looked at the others, looking forward to telling them of Leomon's recovery, when she gasped.

ChaosGallantmon was right behind MegaGargomon, preparing his attack, and it was obvious nobody had noticed.

"Henry, behind you!"

"Demon's Disaster!"

Being the big and slow walking fortress he is, MegaGargomon didn't have time to do a thing, receiving the powerful dark beam right on the middle of his back. The attack sent him away a few feet, but nothing more, due to his great size and mass. It still hurt him like the dickens, though.

"Aww………did anyone get the number……?" Henry groaned in pain. Terriermon was left to complain.

"Hey! That was so unfair! Why did you attack us!?"

Takato chuckled. "Which rule says I can only attack the one who attacked me first?"

Ryo's eyes narrowed inside Justimon. _He attacked MegaGargomon because he's the Digimon that could cause him significant damage, being a Vaccine with great raw power _(A/N: Even if, according to the Card Game, Justimon has a higher attack power than MegaGargomon…).

Everyone waited for MegaGargomon to get up before thinking of a plan. As ChaosGallantmon had said before, they had no chance at winning if they just charged and waited for a miracle to happen. "So……any ideas?" Terriermon asked. Considering that Sukayumon was pretty much useless, the only fighters left were Justimon and MegaGargomon. They also had to consider Henry's Mega Digimon's great disadvantage: its lack of speed.

"The only thing I can think is……well, Justimon and Sakuyamon must force him to stay in one place for long enough, so we can use our strongest attack." Henry replied.

"……sounds like a plan to me." Ryo replied.

"Alright, we'll do what Brainiac says."

Both Justimon and Sakuyamon faced the dark knight. Takato simply smirked.

"It seems like you have a plan. Will it work, or will the dark knight's power prevail over the Digimon Tamers? Isn't this incredibly thrilling!?"

Monodramon growled in response.

"Shut up, Gogglehead!" Rika shouted angrily before the two Digimon attacked ChaosGallantmon. The Virus Mega Digimon retreated a few feet back until his back was stopped by a tree trunk. There, he received the multiple hits from Justimon and Sakuyamon, blocking them all with his shield and his right hand. Much to Ryo's and Rika's concern, Takato's and Guilmon's combination seemed to have no problems keeping two Mega Digimon's speed and blocking all their punches and kicks. Meanwhile, MegaGargomon prepared his entire arsenal.

"Ryo! Rika! Move away! Mega Barrage!"

_Oh, come on, that was so expected…… Takato thought. Sakuyamon immediately backed away from the fight. Justimon tried to move away as soon as he heard the dozens of rockets MegaGargomon had sent at them, but I wrote "tried" because for a sudden reason he found himself unable to move._

"I don't think so, 'Digimon King'!" Takato shouted right before Ryo realized ChaosGallantmon held them by Justimon's red scarf.

Justimon was a perfect shield for MegaGargomon's attack, and received all the impacts from the small rockets. When the dust and smoke cleared, Monodramon lied unconscious on the grass while ChaosGallantmon held an also-unconscious Ryo Akiyama by the neck. Then, he threw it aside as if it were a ragged doll.

"Ryo!" Both Kenta and Henry shouted at the same time. "Oh, dear lord, what did I do?"

Sakuyamon shook her head. "It wasn't your fault."

"Foxy chick is right, Henry! Momentai!"

"Call us like that again and I promise your ears will be a lot shorter!"

ChaosGallantmon impatiently waited for the two remaining Digimon. "So, are you giving up?"

"Of course not!" Rika replied.

"……thought so."

The dark knight dashed straight towards Rika, who took a fighting stance. Takato smirked before changing direction. MegaGargomon prepared his arsenal, but ChaosGallantmon was already behind him.

"Too slow, Henry, too slow."

MegaGargomon quickly turned to hit the Virus Mega Digimon with his massive arms, but ChaosGallantmon easily moved behind the machine Digimon, immediately ramming him with his shield against –guess what?- a tree trunk, who shook with the impact of the giant Digimon.

"Spirit Strike!"

"So….USELESS!!!!" Takato shouted before quickly leaping away, this time being MegaGargomon the one receiving a friend's attack. Due to the type advantage, Sakuyamon's attack was strong enough to force the walking fortress back to Henry and Terriermon, who had little spirals around his eyes. ChaosGallantmon shook his head and chuckled.

"You people have to do some serious work on your aiming, you know?"

Sakuyamon struck with her staff, but the dark knight simply grabbed it with his right hand. He suddenly released it and transformed his hand into the lance, attempting to do an uppercut, but Sakuyamon quickly jumped to her left side, barely evading it. Takato, however, was already prepared for such an evasive maneuver, and he had something special prepared. Lowering his right arms at the same time his whole body turned 270º counter-clockwise, he got in the right position to attack Sakuyamon in no time at all.

"Demon's Disaster!"

Sakuyamon barely saw what hit her before it actually hit her stomach, dragging her to a group of bushes twenty feet behind her. 

_Whole……body……hurts………must not……de-evolve………only ones……still standing!!!_

Rika listened to herself and slowly forced her body to get up. She was in the middle of it when both Tamer and Digimon felt something pulling them by their hair. ChaosGallantmon was literally dragging Sakuyamon back to the clearing. He threw her next to Henry, who had Terriermon cuddled against his body. He then looked at the limp body of Ryo Akiyama, and he looked at Monodramon, who had just regained consciousness, slowly walking closer to his Tamer. He then shifted his gaze towards Hirkazu, Kenta and Jeri. Both MarineAngemon and Guardromon were still knocked out cold, while Leomon looked at him with a glare and Jeri tried to avoid his eyes. Finally, he looked up. The sun was going higher and higher and the day was getting warmer. He was surprised the noise hadn't caught any attention. But he also knew it was a matter of time before that happened, so he decided to put an end to it.

The Tamers' lives were in his hands. He knew he could kill them without any problems, but he also knew he had to think things more carefully. If he killed them, that would only bring trouble to Takato Matsuki, and that was the last thing he needed. Besides, wasn't that the reason he started that fight in the first place?

_Yes……I did it for him……his pain, I felt it……and I had to find a way to ease it…………_

He knew the most convenient thing to do was leaving them there. They had already learned the lesson. However………

_If I let them live………Takato's pain will eventually return……the feelings he has for his friends are what cause him……cause us all this pain. And I……I……_

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!"

ChaosGallantmon focused all his energy in his strongest attack. His shield began to glow with faint silver and his entire armor soon after that. His lance returned to its original arm shape, and he crossed both arms in front of his face at the same time he lowered his body a few inches. Wind began to blow around him and his blue cape waved upwards with it. The Tamers, silenced by fear, simply watched the dark knight's actions, as they were unable to move an inch. Sakuyamon, using Renamon's voice, was the only one with the energy (and the guts) to say something.

"Takato, no!!!!!"

"Join me at the darkness of the eternal abyss! JUDECCA PRISON!!!!"

******Meanwhile, somewhere in Takato's head******

Takato's "original" mind pattern can be described in several ways. In an electroencephalogram, it would be an abnormal electrical reading contrasting, yet resonating with the main pattern. But I know, and I want you to know that Takato Matsuki's mind patterns are much more than a bunch of electrical signals. Takato's body is different from the human average, and his mind is no exception. While Chaos took control of the body, Takato……the nice, good Takato we all know and love……to laugh at, retreated somewhere deep inside the subconscious, where he could be alone. However, in a place where two split personalities and a intruder personality product of a machine's algorithm reside, it's kind of tough to be alone. What I mean is, Ruki eventually caught up with him.

Takato "sat down" and waited for Ruki to get closer. The girl's high heels made a rhythmical sound each time her jogging forced them to hit the "ground". Ruki eventually reached Takato and sat next to him, crossing her legs for comfort.

"Takato, aren't you gonna do a thing?"

"Ruki, I'd really like to be alone right now………"

"Well, that's too bad, because I'm not moving until you decided to do something about Chaos!"

"Something? Like what, Ruki?"

"Takato, you have to stop him! He just digivolved to ChaosGallantmon and he's now fighting the Tamers!"

Takato nodded. "I know. He may be the one in control, but I still keep my senses working."

"So? Aren't you going to do something!? Are you going to let him kill your friends just like that!?"

"………he won't kill them, Ruki. It wouldn't benefit him."

"Oh, I can't believe you! Your side personality is beating the crap out of your friends and you don't give a damn about it! What kind of friend are you!?"

Takato sighed. "Does it really matter anyway?"

"Takato, for God's sake, it's just Rika!"

"IT'S NOT 'JUST RIKA'!!!!" Takato shouted right in front of Ruki's face. The girl was forced to move back at Takato's sudden outburst. She spoke sadly.

"The Takato I met didn't treat me like crap. It seems like I can't distinguish you from Chaos anymore."

Ruki got up and began to walk away. She had walked thirty feet when Takato spoke again.

"That's precisely the point, Ruki. We're merging."

Ruki looked back. "Huh?"

Takato silently asked Ruki to sit down next to him. Once Ruki had returned to her original place, Takato spoke.

"The more I try to resist him, the weaker I get, and it gets harder to regain control each time. I'm dying, Ruki, and I know you know it."

Ruki looked down, unable to bear Takato's gaze. "I just……I just don't like to remember it. You won't be the only one gone if you die. Remember I live from your energy supplies. Without your power, I'll be deactivated."

Takato nodded. "Precisely. However, when my feelings resonate with Chaos', I feel no pain, and my body loses its weakness. When I'm one with Chaos, I'm powerful and I feel full of energy."

"But your dark side takes over………"

"Yes………I've merged with him several times, just to give it a try, but I'm always forced to retreat, as those dark feelings always end up trying to take over. I know Chaos is not evil, I feel it, but I don't understand where those feelings come from."

Ruki didn't know what to say.

"Why me, Ruki? Why does this happen to me?"

Ruki shook her head. "Your origins are a mystery to me, Takato. I know you were created by the Thread of Destiny to seal Chaos in a body strong enough to hold him……"

"I'm supposed to be strong? Well, that Thread of Destiny did a terrible job……"

Ruki would have chuckled in any other circumstance. "……however, I still ignore why you were chosen to become a Digimon Tamer, too. I guess it's a consequence of you creating a Digimon, Guilmon. But I do know something………"

Takato looked at her, visibly interested in what Ruki was about to say.

"……if I'm with you, it means that the Dragon God considered you have the will to do whatever you want, even controlling Chaos. You know, not just any person can use an Omnivice the way you do."

"Does that mean there are other Omnivices like you out there?"

Ruki shrugged. "I think I have a sister somewhere, but I'm not sure."

Takato smiled for a second and looked down. "But I still don't know what to do. I'm too weak to even try to stop him, and if I try to stay alive, that will only make him stronger…………how am I supposed to stop something so powerful?"

Ruki remained silent. She knew exactly what to say, but she just couldn't do it. It was too much for her……for the two of them. Gathering the little will she had, she let the words flow out of her mouth.

"Takato, you know what you have to do, right?"

Ruki waited for an answer, which came in the shape of a small tear coming out of Takato's right eye. "Yes. Are you willing to let me do it?"

Ruki's expression saddened. "I……that's not something I can control. It's your choice."

"But once I………he would take total control again……"

"But you would give the Tamers enough time to destroy the body. Without the body, Chaos can't exist." Ruki explained. 

"……he would eventually reincarnate in another body. A human body, easy to control."

"It would take him decades, or even centuries to do that. Let the future generations deal with that. Do it for those who would suffer if he had a body like yours. For your family, for the Digimon, for you friends……"

"For Rika?"

Ruki smiled and nodded. "Yes, for Rika, too."

Takato sighed and got up. "Even if it kills me………I guess I have to stop it. Are you coming?"

Ruki shook her head. "I……I think I'll go into Idle Mode."

"Do you want to die alone?"

Ruki smiled. "No, I just want to wait peacefully. I'll be back when you return."

Takato smiled. "Thanks……I guess."

Ruki blew him a kiss. "Good luck."

Takato's smile disappeared as he started to walk away. "Luck won't save me today………"

******Infinity******

_Am I……am I………dead?_

Jeri opened her eyes to find herself lying in the middle of a flower field. Flowers of all colors covered the soft ground, and thousands of different smells filled her nostrils. 

_It's……beautiful………huh?_

However, the sky was a different thing. Storm clouds filled a crimson red sky, while lightning and thunder were constant, overwhelming Jeri's eyes and ears. The awkward combination of bright lights, red and gray was almost unbearable.

"Where……where am I!?"

"This is Infinity, Jeri Katou."

Jeri turned around to realize there was a boy behind her. A young boy, a year or two older than her, was wearing white shorts, a yellow t-shirt with a big blue stripe going from the neck to the lower end, and a big, white fisherman hat. The boy was not wearing shoes, as his feet seemed to be enjoying the softness of the flower field. He was sitting on a big, round rock. His big cerulean eyes and his short, rather spiky blond hair gave Jeri the feeling she had seen the boy somewhere before.

"You……aren't you from that Digimon TV show? You were……your name was……"

The boy's smile grew wider as he got up, his body changing as he did it. His body grew even taller and muscles grew on his arms, legs and chest. His face acquired a deep expression and his eyes narrowed a little bit. His attire changed to black pants and some sort of green cape that covered his entire body, even his arms and legs. The hat disappeared and black shoes covered his feet. He had transformed into an adult in a few seconds.

"Takeru Takaishi is the name. Pleased to meet you, Digimon Tamer."

Jeri needed a few seconds to react to what she had just seen. "How…what……how?"

Takeru laughed quietly. "Do not trust what you see. Everything in Infinity is just a reflection. But I think we should wake up your friend before starting a proper conversation."

Jeri looked at the direction Takeru's right index finger pointed at. Rika Nonaka lied unconscious on the flowerbed.

"Rika!" Jeri rushed to her friend's side. Takeru patiently waited until Rika slowly opened her eyes.

"Huh……what………Jeri……?"

"Yes, it's me. Let me help you."

Jeri helped a weakened Rika stand up to face their host. Rika didn't recognize the man as the first glance. "And now who are you!? Where are we, anyway!?"

Takeru smiled at the redhead. "Welcome back to Infinity, Rika."

"Infinity………." Rika muttered. A second later, she recognized the voice. "Hey, you're one of those Triad guys!"

Takeru nodded. "I am Takeru Takaishi, Lord of Humans. It's good to finally meet you face to face, Rika."

The two girls walked closer to Takeru, who waited patiently for them to approach. Finally, Rika spoke. "This place……is this really Infinity?"

Takleru nodded. "I guess you wonder because of its different appearance. However, this is, indeed, Infinity. This place changes its form to reflect what's in its inhabitants' hearts. My guess would be Jeri created this beautiful flower field and you created that lovely crimson sky."

Jeri looked up at the sky and sweatdropped. _Doesn't really match my definition of lovely……_

"And what about the lightning?" Rika wondered.

"That? That's Takato's permanent influence over Infinity. The leader of the Triad, the Dragon God, created this place……and it seems Takato had a bond of sorts with him. That's why his feelings permanently shape the form of Infinity. Now that Chaos is in control, his thirst for revenge had created this……magnificent thunderstorm."

Both girls nodded. Rika continued asking. "Why…….why are we here?"

Takeru smiled. "For the same reason I brought you during the battle against the Nightmare, Rika."

Jeri looked at Rika, who nodded in response. _So she really has been here before………_

"And why did you bring her here?" Rika asked, pointing at Jeri.

"It is time she receives my instruction and my blessing. It is time she learns the truth……about me, about Takato and Chaos…………"

Jeri's ears perked up at the mentioning of Takato. What did he mean by 'the truth'?

"Why?" Jeri finally spoke. "Why do those things happen to Takato?"

Takeru's smile faded, to be replaced with a deep, serious look. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes!"

Takeru smiled again. "I see you're truly worried about him. I'm glad to see that. Maybe you'll be more helpful to him that Rika here."

"Okay, now what do you mean by that!?"

"Calm down, Rika. After all, I entrusted you the responsibility of taking care of Takato, and look what happened. In an indirect way, this is your fault."

"Of course not! I don't know why he went berserk today, in the first place!"

Takeru looked at Jeri and gave her a revealing wink. Jeri smiled. _So he knows of Takato…….and Rika……_

"Let's just forget it. Now……"

"Wait." Rika insisted.

"What is it?"

"Why did you bring us here? Why not Brainiac, or anyone else?"

Takeru smiled again. "Their time will come. Anything else?"

Rika nodded. "What's happening in Shinjuku while we're talking here?"

Jeri's eyes widened in alarm, not having considered the thought in the short time she had spent there. But Takeru's smile worked amazingly well, soothing her tragic thoughts and eliminating the alarm.

"You should know by now that this place exists at a different time axis. Only nanoseconds will pass in your world, even if we spend hours talking."

Takeru walked a few feet away, looking at the crimson sky every moment. "I only know a part of the whole story, so bear with me. Rika, I'll repeat some of the things I've told you so that Jeri can understand the magnitude of the situation. Please, remain patient."

Rika nodded in agreement.

"………Chaos is the living essence of his name, and it was born with the Universe itself. Every once in a while, he assumes a fleshy form, as……a form of entertainment, we could say. He has gone through many names and bodies before, and it will inhabit other bodies in the future."

"So you're telling me it's just a coincidence he's Takato?" Rika asked. Takeru shook his head.

"No……not in Takato's case. Yes, it has been circumstance what has taken Chaos to take his earlier bodies, but Takato is an exception. From what I've discovered, Takato's body was specifically created to host Chaos. To hold him, supposedly."

"Supposedly?" Jeri asked this time.

Takeru sighed. "I don't know what failed. I don't even know what kind of 'special' features Takato's body has to hold Chaos' power. The problem is, Chaos' power seems to have increased now that Takato is his host. And the further Takato tries to contain Chaos, the weaker he gets. At this rate, I give him a month, maybe less."

"What………what do you mean by that!?" Jeri asked, alarmed at Takeru's words. Was he actually saying……?

She looked at Rika, who avoided her gaze to look at the ground. Her fists were clenched and her body was shaking in despair.

"He's going to die………"

Jeri's world shattered in that instant. How could se believe what they had just told her? However, she knew they were sincere, and she knew they had said the truth. _My best friend………dying?_

The pain brought by the death of a loved one………she knew that feeling, maybe too well……hadn't been her grief what got the D-Reaper's attention?

She had barely gotten through it the first time, would she be able to bear another death? Another useless, unfair death?

"It……It's not possible……"

Takeru looked at her with a rather grim look. "It's painful, yes, but it's the truth, and we can't ignore it."

"But……but it's just not fair!"

"Who said life was fair?" Takeru replied, mostly to himself, as shadows of the past haunted him, reminding him of times long gone. A time when he was happy…….

Shaking away those thoughts, Takeru continued. "Of course, Chaos is not affected by the body's weakness. His powers make it for the strength loss. That's why he's still so strong. When Takato……the Takato you know, dies……Chaos will have total control over the body, and he'll have powers even he has no idea about. Takato's body not only has become the perfect vessel……it has unlocked Chaos' hidden abilities, those that normal human bodies are not allowed to reveal."

Rika sighed. "Okay, enough with that. How do we kill him?"

Takeru shook his head. "The answer is simple: you don't."

"Huh?" Both girls said, puzzled.

"You don't kill him because of three reasons. First, you'll never be able to beat him……" And with an innocent grin, he finished. "……not now, and not in a million years."

Jeri couldn't help but giggle while Rika snorted in return. Takeru continued.

"Second, even if you had the power to destroy him, I wouldn't allow it. I need that body, you know? And third………even if you were strong enough, and even if I allowed you to……..would you have the will to destroy Takato Matsuki?"

Takeru fixed his eyes on Rika's, who somehow found herself unable to look away. Takeru insisted.

"Would you?"

"No………" Jeri responded for the two of them. Takeru nodded.

"Takato and only Takato himself has the power to control Chaos. That's what he's been trying to do all the time. This has weakened him to a point where it's extremely easy for Chaos to take control. You can't defeat him, but you can……no, you must at least weaken him enough for Takato to be able to hold him……self."

Rika nodded, but Jeri had some doubts. "But, how are we going to do that? My Leomon was already defeated and Sakuyamon's attacks don't even hurt him."

Takeru smiled once again. "Ai and Suzie are still too young to fight, which makes you the only true female Tamers. You can't the strong guys like Takato and Ryo do all the work. Don't you believe in girl power?"

Both girls smirked. Takeru sweatdropped.

"What? I only say it because I witnessed it……when I was your age."

Only then Rika recognized the man standing in front of her. "Takeru Takaishi, Digi-Destined of Hope. I can't believe it……"

Takeru shook his head. "I lost that title a long time ago. To be honest, I think your Takato deserves that title much more than I do. After all, he's the dimensions' only hope."

"What do you mean by that?" Jeri wondered.

"Everything at its due time, Jeri Katou. You still are too young to understand Takato's importance………your importance."

"Our……importance?"

"Yes, Jeri. Takato is the vessel, the scales, the one who will bring balance. You, Jeri, are the healer. Your silent work will cure the vessel's heart when it's most hurt. And Rika, as I already told you, you're the Chain that connects Takato to the mortal world. Your mission is to teach him the joys of this material world before he…………I……I guess I said too much. It's time for you to leave."

"No, wait! What about……!!!???"

Rika tried to stop, but it was beyond her. It was as if an invisible force pulled her away from Takeru and the flower field. Jeri seemed to be under the same influence, but she didn't seem to be trying to resist it. Her eyes were closed, and a smile had been formed on her face. Rika, too, was forced to close her eyes by the strange invisible power, but she was definitely not enjoying it. She could only guess Jeri was going to a whole new, different experience.

_Receive my blessing, Jeri Katou. Use it wisely and never let it go…………_

*****Back to the Real World*****

Jeri opened her eyes very slowly, the image of Elecmon forming in front of her as her eyes focused.

"Jeri………you're okay…………I'm so glad……………."

"Elecmon! What……what happened!?"

Then, she remembered. She had lost consciousness right after ChaosGallantmon released his Judecca Prison attack. The force had obviously forced Leomon to de-evolve to his rookie state. She looked around to notice that the clearing had grown much bigger, due to the nearby trees being destroyed by ChaosGallantmon's powerful attack. In the middle of the obscene destruction, ChaosGallantmon stood there as if nothing had happened. Around the place, unconscious Tamers and Digimon laid helpless. 

"Rika!" she shouted carelessly, getting ChaosGallantmon's attention. Their eyes met and Jeri shivered in terror.

"Still conscious, I see. You, of all people………surprising, I must say."

"And she's not the only one, you creep!" Sakuyamon shouted as she slowly got up. Rika and Renamon had a conversation of their own.

"I thought I had lost you for a second."

"No way! I was a little out of this place, that's for sure."

"Did you meet him?"

"Yes, I…….hey! How come you know about him!?"

"Ah…umm…well……Takato and I talked to him the day we merged into Gulfmon."

"Oh………"

ChaosGallantmon looked at both girl and Digimon and chuckled. "So the girls are more resistant than the guys. What a shame. And I should be embarrassed, too. How could it be that a Data Digimon received my attack and it's still capable of fighting? Not even Azulongmon wanted to fight after receiving it! Very well, I praise you, Rika Nonaka. You're indeed a fascinating person. But I guess someone like Takato wouldn't hang out with just any woman."

"What do you mean by that, Chaos!?"

Jeri sweatdropped. _So aggressive, yet so naïve………_

Takato chuckled. "Please, call me Takato."

"NEVER!" Rika replied.

"Too bad." Takato continued. "I guess it'll take time for you to get used to it, and you better do so, because after today, I'm the only Takato you'll ever see!"

It was Jeri's turn to reply. "No! I won't allow it! WE won't allow it! I know Takato, I trust him, and he's my friend, my best friend………my brother! And I know he's strong……stronger than you! He'll overcome your dark influence, and I'm going to help him!!!!"

ChaosGallantmon silently acknowledged the girl's strong will, but it wasn't enough.

"Oh, really? You and which army?"

"THIS ARMY!" Jeri shouted from the bottom of her soul, showing her D-Power to ChaosGallantmon as she did it.

_My blessing, Jeri………human and Digimon are no different……deep inside, we're all the same………we're all children of the Higher Entity. Feel it in your heart, and prove it!_

"Bio-merge, activate!"

**MATRIX EVOLTION**

Jeri closed her eyes, as her five senses weren't necessary for her to experience how her inner data pattern transformed her into data that linked with her partner, Elecmon. 

"Elecmon, digivolve to………"

The reorganization of the new code forced the rookie Digimon to go through his Champion and Ultimate forms, Leomon and GrapLeomon, to finally experience an incredible power surge that allowed him to reach the Mega Level. It was a four-legged creature with yellow fur, a long tail and powerful claws. Two extremely long fangs and the mane around the neck were the marks of the king of ancient beasts.

"………SaberLeomon!"

Jeri reopened her eyes to find herself inside a golden core, without clothes. However, she found no shame in it, as the sensation filling her was too much for her to ignore it. "So this is how it feels………"

"Jeri, are you okay?" Elecmon's voice echoed from somewhere outside the golden sphere.

"Of course I'm okay, silly! I've never been better! Now, let's see what we can do………"

Rika and Renamon still found it hard to believe the new evolution they had witnessed, and they didn't notice that they were smiling at the sight. The light SaberLeomon emitted was strong enough to wake up the other Tamers and Digimon, who soon focused their eyes on the newcomer. A rocket scientist wasn't needed to realize what had happened.

_SaberLeomon__, an Ancient Beast Digimon in the Mega Level, Data type. The Howling Crusher pierces through the enemy's defenses with this king of beasts' mighty force! And don't think the Infinity Arrows are weak! Maybe one of them isn't really much, but a million of them will sure be a hell of a lot of pain!_

After the initial surprise, ChaosGallantmon returned to his usual arrogant attitude. "ANOTHER Data-Type? How useless……I find it fantastic that you were finally able to merge with your Digimon, Jeri, don't misunderstand me. But it's still a shame that you will lose your first battle as a Mega Digimon."

Filled with her partner's fighting spirit, Jeri spoke back. "Fight now, talk later!"

"Way to go, pussy cat!"

"TERRIERMON!" (A/N: What? I was missing the little guy……)

SaberLeomon began with a direct charge, with a sudden change of direction right before ChaosGallantmon attacked. Jumping to a tree trunk behind the Viral Knight, SaberLeomon gained impulse, jumped to a fallen tree a few meters to the right, and jumped at ChaosGallantmon with the mouth wide open for a powerful bite. The Data Digimon would end up biting metal, though, as ChaosGallantmon was fast enough to put his shield in between just in time. The Dark Knight shook his left arm to force SaberLeomon to release its strong grip on the dark version of The Aegis, but SaberLeomon charged again as soon as its paws touched the grass.

"Howling Crusher!"

ChaosGallantmon crossed his arms to block the lion's claw attack, which couldn't pierce through the shield and armor, but managed to send the Virus Digimon a few steps back. ChaosGallantmon was uncovering himself when……

"Spirit Strike!"

The only reason the attack hurt ChaosGallantmon was because he didn't expect it.

"Don't annoy me, Nonaka!"

Then, he looked at SaberLeomon. Takato smiled with that wicked grin of his before speaking. Guilmon, still under the Hazard's control, growled with a low tone.

"Very fast, Jeri Katou. Fast, and very strong. That's not bad………NO BAD AT ALL!"

ChaosGallantmon jumped as high as he could, transforming his right arm into a lance in mid-air and letting himself fall with his lance pointing down. SaberLeomon jumped aside and the lance pierced the ground where the Data Digimon had just been standing. ChaosGallantmon immediately took aim and de-attached his shield, which hit right behind SaberLeomon's neck. The Data Digimon lost its balance, which gave Takato enough time to prepare his next attack.

"Demon's Disaster!"

SaberLeomon jumped as high as possible to avoid the dark beam, to be clouded by something blue. A second after Jeri realized it was ChaosGallantmon's cape; the Dark Knight launched another Demon's Disaster attack which sent SaberLeomon back to the ground.

"It's over!" Takato shouted right before dealing the final blow, when he felt a stinging pain on his right shoulder. Sakuyamon had slammed hr staff against him.

"You again!?"

ChaosGallantmon spun around to hit Sakuyamon, but she gracefully jumped over him to evade it. However, ChaosGallantmon quickly transformed his lance into a hand and grabbed Sakuyamon's right leg, spinning over and over to gain momentum and finally throw her next to a weakened SaberLeomon.

"Alright, we have played enough…….it's surprising we haven't caught anyone's attention yet………my guess is that the Triad is somehow behind it. Well, it makes things worse for you. Judecca……"

"Beat Knuckle!"

"Kahuna Waves!"

"Terrier Tornado!"

"Destruction Grenade!"

A Mega, a Champion and two Rookies attacked at the same time, hitting ChaosGallantmon with everything they had. The Dark Knight simply grunted.

"You're……so…………USELESS!!!!"

An energy wave came out of his body and rammed against the four Digimon, sending them to fly away. ChaosGallantmon faced the two Data Mega Digimon.

"Okay, now that the nuisances are gone, we can put an end to-hey! Now what do you think you're doing!?"

In one last, desperate effort, Guardromon, Terriermon, Monodramon and MarineAngemon had wrapped themselves against ChaosGallantmon, in an attempt to keep him unable of any movement.

"Foxymon! Pussy cat! Give him everything you've got! This is our last chance!"

Ignoring Terriermon's nicknames for them, both Sakuyamon and SaberLeomon got up and prepared one last attack.

"Everything we've got……" Rika said softly.

"One last effort……is everything we need………." Elecmon added.

"Our full power…in just one shot………" Renamon completed.

"For Takato………" Jeri concluded.

"Infinity………huh?"

Jeri and Elecmon found themselves unable to finish, as a completely new feeling seemed to take over them. SaberLeomon looked at Rika, who seemed to be in the same state.

"What are you two waiting for!? They can't hold him much longer!" Ryo shouted. Indeed, Guardromon, the biggest and heaviest of the four Digimon was barely able to keep his grip on the much stronger ChaosGallantmon. But Jeri and Rika were unable to move. Rika was experiencing a new sensation……something she had felt before……it wasn't as strong as it was back then, but it was definitely similar. As for Jeri……

_My blessing, Jeri……feel it……use it………cherish it…………BE ONE WITH IT! I am Justice………I am the Scales, the keeper of balance……two sides of the same coin……find the other halves………can you feel it, Jeri?_

Jeri, confused, looked at Rika, who was being reminded of events that took place some weeks before……

_"Dual Force!__ Spirit of Chaos!"_

Yes, that attack……the one they had used to defeat the Nightmare. Her Spirit Strike and Gallantmon's Shield of the Just had combined into a much more powerful attack. Was that what she felt in that moment? Was that what Jeri was feeling? Could they……combine their powers like she did with Takato?

_Just let yourself go………girl power, remember?_

Both girls smirked. It was time.

"Take this, ChaosGallantmon! Dual Force! Eternal Justice!"

Sakuyamon's Amethyst Mandala and SaberLeomon's Infinity Arrows began to merge as they were launched, transforming into pink spear-shaped crystals. ChaosGallantmon and his captors watched the new attack going straight towards them.

"Everyone, BEAT IT!" Terriermon shouted right before the four Digimon jumped away, leaving ChaosGallantmon to receive the attack's full power. He didn't even have time to raise his shield.

"Yes! We did it!" Jeri shouted excitedly before realizing she was completely drained of energy. Both Sakuyamon and SaberLeomon de-evolved to Tamer and Rookie Digimon, and the exhausted Jeri sat on the grass.

"You should have told me bio-merging would be so tiring."

The girl looked at Elecmon. "How did you feel, Elecmon?"

Elecmon blushed in response. "I……I still don't know."

Jeri smiled sweetly. "Well, that's a beginning."

"THIS IS NOT OVER, DIGIMON TAMERS!!!!"

The Tamers froze as they listened to Takato's voice, more cold and frightening than ever. The dust cloud faded, revealing a weakened ChaosGallantmon. Scratched armor could be seen, and little cracks by the forehead, but aside that, he seemed as willing to fight as always.

"No way………" Henry muttered.

"It's too strong……" Hirokazu said, holding on to the closest thing he found: Kenta.

"Too……tired………" Renamon managed to whisper.

"We can't fight…….any more……"

"Too bad." ChaosGallantmon said. "I guess that makes me the winner. Don't worry, I'll make it painless. It's the least I can do after such an interesting battle………."

"I don't think so!"

The Tamers frowned. Takato was the one who said those last words. Could it be……?

"Ahem……now……"

"Leave them alone, Chaos!"

Jeri smiled in triumph. "Takato!? Is that really you, Takato!?"

"Let me put an end to this, Gogglehead!"

"No! You won't hurt them! Not as long as I'm standing here!"

"You IDIOT! Do you want to feel more pain!? These people are the cause of your pain! Let me help you!"

The Tamers merely witnessed how ChaosGallantmon talked with himself. Takato never changed to mental conversation, so the Tamers could listen to every word.

"Killing them is not a solution!"

"Takato, if I don't do it, I'll only feel more sadness and despair!" (A/N: Consider than by 'I' he means the two of them, please understand that)

"No! What makes you thing killing them will ease the pain!? Sadness and grief are part of life; I must learn to live with it!"

"But I need peace! Chaos can't exist without peace! Don't you understand how much pain you'll have to go through because of them!?"

"That doesn't change the fact that they have given me the best years of my life!!!!"

That was a definite halt in the course of the argument, and everyone had heard it. Takato could feel his dark side's resistance getting weaker.

"Yes, do you remember? You've been with me all this time……how can I…how can you………how can WE throw away all the happiness we've had since I became a Tamer just for something that might or might not happen in the future? The future is the future, and I'll deal with it when it comes……if I'm alive, of course. But I won't make it without you, that I know…….so, please, don't let grief take over you……over us……"

"NO! It's……it's too much!!! It's just too much!!!!!!"

Jeri noticed something blinking inside ChaosGallantmon's helmet. _Is he……crying?_

"Please, let's leave it at that. Don't make things any worse. I know you're not evil, but right now I'm the only person who trusts in you…me……us."

"No………I have to………"

"NO, YOU DON'T!!!!!!"

Suddenly, a blinding light filled the dark knight, forcing the Tamers and their Digimon to look away. When the light faded, they heard the thud of the heavy Guilmon falling to the ground, unconscious. The Hazard had consumed most of his energy. As for Takato, he was still standing, but barely. His breathing was loud and irregular and his body was thrashed after the Eternal Justice attack. Old wounds had reopened and his clothes were being stained with blood. His eyes were almost completely closed, and a single tear went down his pale, grim face. He found enough energy to say three words:

"Rika……help……me…………"

And with that said, Takato fell to the soft, grassy ground, his eyes closed and his body dormant. He wouldn't get up again. Or at least, the person who eventually woke up won't be the Takato Matsuki we know.

*************************************************************************

*************************************************************************

End of Chapter 6……

DR: I'm done!

Terriermon: Finally!

DR: Yeah, this one took a while……but the story's almost over! One last chapter and the Third Interlude!

Terriermon: *sarcastic* Yay……

(_The Biggest Dreamer_ starts playing)

**Jeri's Voice: Hello, everyone! Everyone is very sad……Takato is in the hospital, he's in coma and the doctors don't give up much hope. His body is so tired, and I'd really like to know what's going on in his mind…….what? Rika says she knows how to bring Takato back! What is she thinking of doing!? Is she really going to……!? Don't miss the final chapter of "Theory of Chaos": Spirals of Everlasting Chaos! A shocking revelation that will leave Takato's mouth hanging wide open! Tee-hee, you don't want to miss it!**

Daneel Rush (daneel_ff@hotmail.com)


	7. Spirals of Everlasting Chaos

DR: The final chapter! I can't believe it!

Henry: What's so unbelievable?

DR: That I've made it this far. I never expected my stories to have this acceptance……

Terriermon: You're just lucky……

DR: Yeah, I guess. Anyway, I don't own Digimon, but I do own the Omni-vice idea, the Triad and good-old Chaos. On to the final chapter, where Henry and Jeri fall prey to desperation, Terriermon has some fun telling the others of what they did under Doumon's spell, the identity of Doumon's 'Lord', Rika reveals her feelings for Gogglehead, and a weird little Rukato moment……which is not really Rukato!

**THEORY OF CHAOS**

**Chapter 7**

**_Spirals of Everlasting Chaos_**

****

****

Jeri was scared. Upset and scared, to be precise. She hated that place so much, she felt as if she would throw up if she stayed there one more minute. But she had to stay. For Takato.

The hospital's cold, dead colors sent a shiver down her spine. Why couldn't hospitals be a little more……lively? She found them depressing. And she knew everyone there shared her opinion. _So silent………why isn't anybody talking?_

Yes, they were all silent, waiting for something, a sign. Henry was to her right, but he didn't seem to be in the mood for a conversation. Next to him, Janyuu Wong looked at his son with a worried look. He was probably checking out the several bruises Henry had on his face, product of their battle against ChaosGallantmon. Actually, all the Tamers had bruises that obviously worried their parents, as the kids had yet to explain them what had happened.

Jeri looked down. Elecmon and Terriermon were sleeping on the floor right at her feet. It was surprising that the hospital staff had allowed the Digimon to enter, but it was the best they could have done. Besides, they were too tired to cause any trouble.

She looked left, where Hirokazu and Kenta tried to avoid their mothers' handkerchiefs, in their attempts to clean the boys' faces. Jeri would have laughed at the sight in any other circumstance. Guardromon was right next to Hirokazu, and he, too, was asleep, same as MarineAngemon, who rested atop the robot's head.

Ryo was sitting on a chair in front of Jeri's. Monodramon rested on his lap. The Legendary Tamer seemed to be deep in thought, obviously pondering on the recent events. Guilmon was resting at his place in the park, under Calumon's and Impmon's care (quite reluctantly from the latter).

Then, Jeri looked at Rika. Her mother and her grandmother were making their best effort to make her talk, maybe even explain what had happened, but Rika was immersed in her own mind. Then, the girl looked to her left, somewhere at the end of the waiting room. Jeri followed her friend's line of sight and met Takato's parents, who were talking with the doctor in charge. By the doctor's grim look and the way Takato's mother cried on her husband's shoulder, the news weren't very relieving. And it hurt Jeri to know that.

Then, she noticed she was being watched, and Jeri's eyes met Rika's. And Jeri could see the pain in her friend's eyes. As the only ones who knew the truth, they were being forced to carry an extremely heavy burden. And Rika didn't seem to be ready for it.

Suddenly, Rika got up and walked away, silently asking Jeri to follow her. The girl nodded and got up, followed closely by everyone's eyes, fixated on her. Renamon appeared out of thin air in front of Rika, but the redhead told something to the Data Digimon, who nodded and vanished again. Jeri and Rika left to the cafeteria. Once they were comfortable, or as comfortable as they could be in that situation, Rika spoke.

"Are you okay?"

Jeri shook her head. "How could I be okay!?"

Rika nodded. "I guess. I'm not okay, either."

Jeri remained silent. Watching Rika being so direct when it came to her feelings was not normal. Something was bothering her.

"What's wrong, Rika?"

Rika remained silent for a minute. "It's what that TK guy said…about me and the Gogglehead."

Jeri nodded. She was expecting that. "What is it?"

"He called me 'The Chain', the one who connects Goggle……Takato to this world. And I don't even know what that is supposed to mean! I can tell that Takato is important for whatever is going to happen in the future, but how can I be of help if I don't even know what I'm supposed to do!?"

Jeri nodded again. "You tell me. He called me 'The Healer', and I definitely have no idea of how to help Takato."

_"Your silent work will cure the vessel's heart when it's most hurt."_

_What did he mean by that? It's not his heart what needs healing right now, it's his body!_

Rika shook her head. "I wish……I had the answers."

"But we don't, Rika." Jeri explained. "It's not that much what we know and the others don't. Not even Takeru has the answers. So we must do what we can, so that in case we fail and Takato………" She couldn't finish the sentence, but Rika got the idea.

"……dies?" Rika completed grimly. Jeri was surprised at a side of Rika she had never seen. She had always admired Rika's tough attitude and carefree lifestyle, but not even Rika could remain cold and careless when facing death itself. The perspective of losing Takato was as troubling for the redhead as it was for Jeri.

Jeri, indeed, was afraid of the idea of watching Takato die. She had already lost her mother, she didn't want to say goodbye to another loved one. But Rika……she still had both parents, but one of them had abandoned her. Jeri wondered which was worst, the cold certainty of a dead parent or the painful feeling of an unnecessary separation.

"…yes. In case Takato……leaves us, we at least have the certainty that we gave it our best." Jeri concluded.

The two girls remained silent for several minutes. Rika seemed to be pondering what she had just being told, and Jeri didn't want to interrupt her. Five minutes later, Rika suddenly got up and walked away. Jeri followed her back to the waiting room, where the doctor was giving the bad news to everyone.

"……internal bleeding, multiple fractures, concussions caused by severe brain damage, abnormal EEG readings, steady decrease of blood pressure……I've never seen a body as damaged as his……it's like an eighty-year-old after a car accident. His body is simply……not working anymore."

Everybody remained silent, slowly swallowing the bitter news. The Digimon had also heard the doctor's words, and they, too, remained silent. Rika interrupted the grim moment.

"Can I go see him?"

"Technically, yes, but I wouldn't really recommend……"

"Okay, I'm going." Rika concluded as she walked towards the door.

"Hey, wait!" the doctor insisted, but Jeri's hand stopped him.

"Please."

For a strange reason, the doctor didn't (or couldn't) say another word.

*****Eastern Quadrant*****

_ChaosGallantmon__………a fascinating Digimon, indeed………_

Takeru continued his trip across the deserts of Server. Memories of battles that took place years before haunted him, at the same time he thought about the battle the Tamers had finished a few hours before. Patamon was flying for a change, flapping his wings slowly enough to move at Takeru's pace.

"You can't stop thinking about him."

"No………"

No, he just couldn't get Takato out of his mind. Every time he revealed a new answer, many more mysteries appeared around the Omni-Tamer.

_What makes him so special……so unique……so…….powerful?_

Not only he had the highest data percentage in his DNA double helix, but such data also had the most notorious variations. It was definitely not an accident: Takato Matsuki had been carefully "designed" in a process that couldn't have taken less than a decade.

_Everthing__ seems to be related to him somehow……he's the source…..and hopefully, he'll be the end of it all……_

Takeru had so many questions he couldn't really concentrate it one at a time.

**Calm down, Takeru.**** Hopefully, some of your questions will be answered very soon.**

Takeru smiled. Pauline always knew what to say to make him feel better. He couldn't help but love her……in a certain way.

_I hope so, Pauline, I really hope so._

Yes, that was the reason of his trip to the Eastern Quadrant, even after he had decided not to go there. _I was inspired that day……_

He was going to Gennai's place. He somehow doubted that the 'Digital Guardian' had been created just to prepare the arrival of the Digi-Destined. He remembered the day he was shown the process in which they were chosen, and the Digivices, Crests and original eight Digi-Eggs were created. He remembered he was in an immense complex, until it was attacked by Piedmon, the leader of the Dark Masters. He had the premonition not only the Digi-Destined were born in that place. He somehow knew the Vessel of Chaos was born there, too.

_Project Asmodeus……_

Those two words loomed in his mind constantly. He didn't know what they meant, but he had the feeling Project Asmodeus was the answer to most, if not all of his questions. Maybe Gennai knew something about it.

Immediately, his thoughts returned to Takato. He had a slight idea of his actual state. He couldn't have gone through the process of controlling Chaos without suffering quite a bit. "TK……"

"Yes, Patamon?" Only Patamon still called him like that. Pauline called him Takeru, and the Digimon he met on his trips called him 'Lord' or 'Takeru-sama'. He didn't really like it, but he couldn't convince the Digimon to call him any other way. Besides, he had to let them be if he wanted them to keep the secret of his existence……even if it wasn't much of a secret anymore.

"……do you think he'll be okay?"

Takeru sighed. He wished he knew the answer to that question. "I hope so, Patamon. We need him."

"I hope he gets better. He's a really nice guy."

Takeru smiled. It was hard to believe someone as nice and innocent as Takato hid within himself the Son of Destruction. He liked Takato……and he liked Chaos, too. He understood why Takato couldn't hate him even after all the things he had done. Takato and Chaos are the same, and if Takato couldn't trust Chaos, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. But Takeru still wondered what could be done to protect Takato's body. It was incredible he hadn't died yet. Takato's body was, indeed, a miracle of the Thread of Destiny.

*****Guilmon's Hut*****

"Do you think he'll get better, Impmon?"

"I wish I knew that……"

Impmon groaned in his resting place at Guilmon's place. _I had no idea why I'm doing this……_

But he knew exactly why he had done it. He was doing it because for the first and probably last time ever, Rika had asked him nicely. And that couldn't mean anything good. He knew nothing about the Tamer-Digimon bond, so he ignored the reason of Guilmon's terrible pain. But it wasn't hard to link ideas when he was told Takato was in a coma-state. He first had to find out what that meant, though. But once he knew how critical the situation was, he decided to be helpful for a change. After all, he had heard of something called Murphy's Law……he had the feeling things would only get worse.

"How is he?"

Renamon's voice, echoing from nowhere, startled both Impmon and Calumon. The vulpine Digimon soon appeared next to Guilmon, who didn't even seem to notice her. The reptile then growled, affected by an unknown pain.

"It is indeed impressive the bong between Guilmon and his creator." Renamon said to no one. Impmon walked closer to the other virus. "Are you saying this is because of Gogglehead?"

Renamon nodded. "I wouldn't know, but I've heard that you put a little of your soul when you create something. Maybe that concept reaches a whole new extent in this case."

Impmon grimaced at the sight of the red dinosaur in pain. "Pineapple head………"

Calumon walked next to Renamon. "Will he be okay?"

The Data Rookie shook her head. "I wish I knew……"

But she couldn't help but worry about the boy addressed as the Omni-Tamer. _Takato………_

***** Rukato time! *****

Rika carefully closed the door behind her, and made sure it was locked before turning around and facing the mess Takato had become. Strange machinery and tubes were carefully disposed around the bed he was laying on, making sure he had the basic vital support. But the amount of artifacts she saw in that room gave her the idea of how serious was the problem. 

"I told you not to fight……I told you!" she said softly as she walked closer. There was no way to get next to him without being trapped by the entangled web of tubes and cables, so moved to the wall opposite to Takato and leaned there, watching the disastrous scene. 

"Why did you let it take over you, Gogglehead? Was it……what I said?"

Of course, there was no response. Rika considered leaving for a second, but something kept her inside that room. _But it's like talking to a wall!_

_"But you still have to let it go out of your system."_

_What for!?_

_"Rika, no matter how much you try to deny it, you feel guilty for what's happening to him."_

_Of course not! It's not my fault he's such a sissy Gogglehead!_

_"Just like it's not your fault he cares so much for you………"_

_Yeah, right, as if that were………possible………_

***** Inside Takato *****

"Man, you're missing the show of the century!" Chaos chuckled slightly as his own sentence. He just received a 'hmph!' for an answer.

"Oh, come on! I still don't get it. Why are you so mad at me?"

"Why, you're asking me!? WHY!? Do I need to use mimic, smoke signals, or what!?" Ruki replied with a tone that clearly showed her disgust towards Takato's other mind pattern. Chaos simply shrugged as he watched his counterpart. Takato lied just as immobilized as his body in the real world. His eyes were closed and his head rested on Ruki's lap. The girl had changed her outfit to a long, cerulean dress that was tight from below her shoulders to her waist, where it widened and fell all the way down until it reached the floor of the dark room. Her right hand softly caressed Takato's hair.

"Don't blame me for his weakness, Ruki."

"If you hadn't begun to attack the Tamers in the first place, none of this would have happened!"

"They deserved it. That girl insulted Takato, and an insult to Takato is an insult to me, as I am Takato."

"Killing them wasn't the solution!"

"Yes, it was. Their presence in Takato's……in our life is a constant threat to our emotional stability."

"So that's it………you want to get rid of them because you're not strong enough to cope with the feelings they make you experience. Am I wrong?"

Chaos' silence said more than any words. Ruki would have smiled at her small victory in any other circumstance. "Anyway, we should listen to the Nonaka girl. Maybe she may help us solve this problem after all."

"That would be a first." Chaos replied. "She's done nothing but causing pain since the moment we met her. Anyway, I'll take the body again."

"Don't tell me…!!!"

"Gee, calm down." Chaos replied immediately. His cool voice wasn't very reassuring, though. "I'm just tired of not being able to move a muscle. My power will cope with the body's lack of strength."

Ruki looked at the other Takato before looking back at the one unconscious. "Come back to me soon, Takato. Please……I just hope Rika and Chaos help us somehow………"

*****Back to the Hospital*****

"Why!?" Rika shouted, her mind driven by confusion. "Why do you put so much effort in being my friend, Gogglehead? No matter how much I insult you, or humiliate you, or trash you in the Card Game, you keep showing me that stupid grin of yours! Why?"

_"You know he can't answer you."_

_I sure wish he could……_

_"Are you sure you're looking for the answer at the right place?"_

Rika calmed down, looking at the unconscious body once more. "I can't believe you……I can't believe myself! Why me……why you? Destiny is definitely playing with me………"

She sat down in the only other furniture in the room: a small, uncomfortable, metallic chair. "I thought I didn't need anyone…….I still think so! I can be fine by myself! I can take care of myself! I don't need any friends and in a few years I won't even need a family!"

She looked down, at the cold, monotone floor. "Since my father left………I avoided making any sentimental bond with anyone. Why making any relationships, if they just lead to grief and deception? Why having friends, if I can easily live without them? And………"

_I can't believe I'm going to say this……_

_"Well, look at it from the bright side: he's not listening. No one is listening."_

_……I……guess you're right……_

Rika chuckled to herself. "Yeah, Destiny is using me as nothing but a toy, because……………besides all my beliefs, all the barriers I placed around everyone……Destiny had to send to only one who could possibly change those beliefs and pierce through all those barriers."

_Well……here goes nothing………why the hell I'm so nervous, he's not even listening!_

"Stupid Gogglehead………all your pathetic acts of friendship paid off……to my disbelief………I like you."

Rika finally breathed again. _I can't believe I just said that………I think I'm gonna throw up……_

_"Cheer up, girl! At least you got it out of your system!"_

_Why do I have the belief I'll end up regretting it?_

"Good Lord, I like you! You're the only boy……the only person I find remotely interesting! Henry is a pathetic brainiac, Jeri has a serious need for a shrink……wait, she already has one……Kazu is the most annoying person in the whole world, Kenta can't even think by himself, Suzie is a little baby I have never said a word to, and Ryo……he's just so……Ryo!"

Rika took air once more. "But that doesn't change the fact that you're a stupid little Gogglehead who can't walk two steps without tripping. However………I still like you. How did you do it, anyway?"

"Beats me." Takato replied softly.

And Rika froze.

*****Outside the Room, with the other Tamers*****

"So………who wants to play something?"

Henry didn't even bother to say "Terriermon!" to the little rookie sitting on the floor. The small Digimon groaned.

"Oh, come on, Henry! Stop acting as if you still were possessed by Doumon!"

That got everyone's minds working. They didn't have many reminiscences of the two and a half days they spent under Doumon's influence.

"Actually, I don't remember very much about those two days…" Henry admitted.

"You have nothing to remember! You were asleep the whole time!" Terriermon replied.

"Oh……" Henry said softly, a little because of the embarrassment. Jeri giggled a little bit, and then proceeded to ask Terriermon.

"And what about me?"

Terriermon shook his head. As much as he wanted to talk about it…….heck, he was dying to talk about it; he couldn't because of a simple reason.

"I don't know as much as I'd want to. I was with Henry and Suzie most of the time. But you visited Henry during Saturday. I think you wanted him to go out with you." Obviously, he said the last part with a smirk on his face, at the same moment Jeri regretted having done that question. While everyone looked at her and her face became incredibly red, she looked at Jeri and shook her head.

"But I was under Doumon's control!"

_Yeah, right. _The rookie named Terriermon thought, but Henry seemed to accept his friend's explanation. Terriermon let it go (for now……) and continued.

"Obviously, Henry, having become Mr. Lazy-O, refused to saying he had to sleep……and you put up quite a show."

"Huh?" Now Jeri was puzzled. Terriermon's grin grew wider.

"I'm sorry, but the things you said to Henry are not appropriate for such a young audience." Terriermon concluded, pointing at the other Tamers. While Henry, the Tamers and the parents in the place got a pretty accurate idea of what she had said to Henry after he had refused to go out with her, Jeri went through a phenomenon still without explanation, in which the subject goes through unimaginable shades of red. She finally settled at a light pinkish tone and avoided everyone's funny glances. Everyone finally stopped……but Ryo. However, Ryo wasn't really making fun of Jeri as the funny expression soon changed to a grimace, and then he suddenly got up.

"Umm……err…….ahem………I'll be right back!"

And he dashed at a speed thought impossible for common humans. The puzzled people and Digimon watched the Digimon King until he was out of sight, and Terriermon chuckled in realization.

"I guess indigestion finally attacked."

"What do you mean?" Hirokazu asked, worried about his hero's sudden runaway.

"You don't get it, don't you? It's like in that movie……what was its name? Oh, yeah, 'Psycho Guy who is Really Smart and Kills People Seemingly at Random, but He's Really Not'. Each one of you represented one of those……how you call them……Capital Sins!"

Henry sweatdropped. "I think the movie was named 'Seven', Terriermon."

"Okay, I was close!"

"Sure, Terriermon." Henry replied sarcastically. "So I guess I was sloth."

"And I was probably wrath." Jeri concluded. Terriermon nodded.

"Yep, and Ryo was gluttony, Suzie was avarice, Hirokazu was pride, Kenta was envy……"

"……and Rika was lust."

Everyone looked at Rika's mother, the one who had finished Terriermon's explanation. The woman looked up and smiled. "So I guess that explains Rika's attitude these last two days."

Terriermon nodded and chuckled. "Gosh, I'd have paid to see that……Taka-chan……that name will live in my mind forever!"

Hirokazu linked ideas while Terriermon laughed loudly.

"Taka……chan? Are you saying Rika……and Chumly………whoa!"

Everyone finally understood the magnitude of what had really happened. Kazu and Kenta soon followed Terriermon, and they were soon followed by Henry. Jeri began with a soft giggle, but soon got infected with the others' emotions and started laughing very loudly. Janyuu, whose sense of humor wasn't lost with the age, accompanied his son in the laughter, and so did the Nonakas. Eventually, everyone but Elecmon was laughing. It was a nice change for such a gloomy place.

"I………I don't get it." Jeri's Digimon said in the middle of the laughter.

*****Rika and Takato……I mean, Chaos*****

"YOU!!!!!"

Chaos simply placed his left index on his mouth. "Shhh……this is a hospital, remember?"

"You! You're the cause of all this!"

Chaos shook his head as he slowly changed from a reclined to a sitting position. "I said it before and I'll say it again: don't blame me for my counterpart's weakness."

"But if you hadn't gone berserk and attack us, none of this would have happened!"

"Gosh, you two really think alike."

"Who?"

"……forget it. Anyway, I only did what I did to help Takato."

"Help!? What kind of help is that!?"

"Don't you get it? He is nice and caring towards you all, and what does he get in return? Heck, only Henry and Jeri treat him the way he deserves! From you and the others, he gets nothing but grief and humiliation!"

That took Rika by surprise. "What……what are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on! The way Ryo acts all almighty and stuff, as if he were only one good enough to talk to you! He might be able to stand a few jokes and pranks, but there isn't a minute in which you embarrass, hurt, pull a prank on, or simply humiliate him somehow! And you know how much he hates nicknames! He hates to be called Chumly, and he definitely hates being called Gogglehead! He only takes it from you because he……….anyway, the point is, I had to get rid of the things that hurt him."

Rika crossed her arms. "And how come you know so much about feelings, you creep?"

Chaos wasn't hurt by Rika's words. "Because I, too, am Takato. I feel what he feels, and it's incredible the amount of pain he goes through during what you think is a normal day. I wish I could share just a small percent of it with you, and then maybe you'd get an idea."

Rika snorted. "If he can't stand my ways, then maybe he shouldn't be my friend, and that's it."

Chaos shook his head. "The only reason he bears it is because he has seen through the façade."

"What is that supposed to mean!?" Rika spat back.

Chaos smiled. "Oh, come on! The whole bad girl attitude, the 'I'm-going-to-kick-your-ass' behavior and the multiple insulting and making fun of everyone is just a façade you created after the loss of your father. That is not the real you."

"Just as you're not the real Takato, so shut up!"

"Maybe, but the one you call 'Takato' is not the real Takato, either."

Rika was so close to close her hands around his neck, but she didn't want to hurt the body more than it already was. "How come?"

"You wouldn't understand, little girl."

"I'll show you 'little girl'!!!"

Chaos chuckled right before Rika lunged at him, but he easily stopped her with his two hands.

"I don't get it. You like him, but you're trying to hurt him, even after everything I've told you."

"YOU'RE NOT TAKATO!!!!!!!"

"I am Takato as long as I own this body. Rika, if this body is hurt any further, the mind pattern you call 'Takato' won't have a place to settle in once he recovers."

"Then how come you're so strong!?"

Chaos chuckled again as he pushed Rika away from him. "Because I'm thousands of times more powerful than him."

Rika shot him daggers. "Well, for someone thousands of times more powerful than MY Gogglehead, you sure are easy to control."

Chaos' eyes narrowed. "That was a moment of distraction."

"Yeah, right."

"Alright, alright, I'll admit it! YOUR Takato MIGHT be more powerful than he seems to be."

"'MIGHT'!?"

"Okay, IS!"

"That's better." Rika said, unable to hide her pride. Chaos sighed in defeat. "_You had to choose this girl of all women in this world, huh, Goggles?"_

"I guess I'll go back to sleep. The nurse will return any moment soon." 

Rika nodded. "If you do something to that body, I swear I'll……"

"Rika, you should know by know that I need this body. I wouldn't hurt it on purpose." Chaos replied. "_And since when are we talking on first-name basis?"_

Rika was about to leave when she was interrupted by Chaos' pouting. "Aww, no goodbye kiss?"

"Screw you, Gogglehead." She said as she showed him the finger. Chaos chuckled.

"You know, that's not very ladylike."

"And since when do you want me to be a lady, Goggles?"

"Touché."

Rika closed the door behind her, leaving Chaos alone with his thoughts……figuratively.

"Bad girl………I love her."

***** Somewhere frighteningly familiar…… *****

_Doumon__ failed………she couldn't bring Chaos to me………but her sacrifice wasn't in vain………_

The cloaked one looked up as what once was Doumon's data floated and merged with a great 'mass' of data hovering over the calm waters of the Dark Ocean. Once Doumon's data merged with the greater 'mass', it glowed brightly, and the accumulation of information grew until it became the only source of light in the gloomy place. The 'Lord' narrowed his eyes to tiny slits and smiled inside his robe, walking away. _It's done……_

Data. That was everything he needed. Chaos' data would have been more helpful, as he would have received infinite power from it, but with Doumon's death, he had gathered enough data to open a Gate to wherever he wanted. _Finally……after fourteen years………I'll return to the warmth………to enact my revenge!_

He knew exactly where he wanted to go. He would go after Chaos himself. And once he had the power of Chaos, he would have no trouble traveling to any dimension, world or quadrant he desired. The Digi-Destined? Nah…..they were mere insects. They weren't even worth the effort. No……his revenge wasn't against the Digi-Destined………it against humanity itself, as it was humanity which created that hell they called 'The Dark Ocean'.

He knew the Digi-Destined would try to stop him. But he also knew that after fourteen years they had lost their innate powers. He knew they weren't a threat anymore, and he wouldn't stain his hand with their worthless blood. That's why he had even bothered to prepare……an 'escort'.

He walked closer to the shore. There, his guard waited. Three hundred Kurisarimon, one hundred Scubamon, who had changed their loyalty after witnessing the new Lord's true power, and an elite of twenty-five DarkScubamon specially trained by himself. They would take care of the nuisances.

"Today is the day of our rebirth! Soon, we'll tap into the Ultimate Power! Soon, we'll return to our true kingdom!!!"

The Kurisarimon excitedly swayed their tentacles while the other Digimon shouted in unison. The cloaked Mega Digimon smiled as he enjoyed their cries of triumph. _Soon………very soon, Takato Matsuki, very soon………_

"ALL HAIL LORD DAEMON!!!!!!"

**THE END**

***********************************************************************

***********************************************************************

Terriermon: ……you just had to do that, huh?

DR: Of course! It's a tradition of Tamers Fanfiction! Daemon always shows up somehow! And this time, it's gonna be BIG!

Terriermon: I can't imagine how we could possibly get rid of that guy……

DR: Oh, I do…… *looks at Terriermon with a wicked look* I do……hahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! *goes psycho*

Terriermon: *sweatdrops* Okay……nurse!

*Nurse enters the room and injects something in DR's bloodstream*

Terriermon: That will calm him down for a while. Chaos, buddy, time for the preview!

Chaos: Why me!? I don't want to do that stupid preview!

Terriermon: Gee, alright, switch, then, so Takato can do the preview.

Chaos: Alright……*switches*

Terriermon: Takato, would you be kind enough to say the preview?

Takato: Sure!

(_The Biggest Dreamer_ starts playing)

**Takato's** Voice:** Alright, it's me, Takato! Gennai gets a surprise visit from the thought-to-be-dead Takeru Takaishi, but his surprise will be even bigger when Takeru asks him about something called 'Project Asmodeus'. What is that about and how come I'm related to it? What!? Are you saying my true name is……? Oh, look, the Digi-Destined are going to Gennai's place, too! How will Takeru handle the unavoidable meeting? And what other surprising information does Gennai give him? Oh, and what's Terriermon up to? What is he hiding from his Tamer? Shocking revelations on the Third Interlude of the Tamers Forever series, right now!**

Daneel Rush (daneel_ff@hotmail.com)


	8. Third Interlude

DR: Okay, the third interlude. Are you guys ready for it?

TK: I'm ready.

Terriermon: Why is blondie here? And why did you go wacko last time?

DR: Takeru is here because he's the star of this interlude……same as the other ones, but anyway……and I went crazy last time because, well……I can't tell you, but you all with understand when you find out. Anyway, on to the interlude!

**_"TAMERS FOREVER"_**

**THIRD INTERLUDE**

**_Asmodeus_****__**

Takeru closed his eyes and enjoyed the breeze playing with his blonde hair. Patamon slowly flapped his wings up and down to keep himself hovering in the exact same place. The crystal water shone with the 'sunlight', giving the lake an appearance anyone would expect only from a fairy tale. Takeru reopened his eyes and looked at the lake. So many memories……memories he'd rather forget.

"So……how are we getting inside?" Patamon asked to his partner. Takeru knew exactly what Patamon meant. As far as he knew, the only way to get to Gennai's house was through the stairs underwater, but the water only subsided by Gennai's order. Obviously, Gennai had no idea of Takeru's presence in that place.

Takeru smiled. "Leave it to Pauline, Patamon."

_Pauline, sweetheart?___

**At your orders, dear…******

Immediately, a thin beam of light was shot from the Omnivice to the lake, losing itself in the deep water. Takeru waited patiently while Patamon rested in his human partner's right shoulder. Thirty seconds……one minute……two minutes……

_Pauline?_

**Gee, calm down! You humans are so impatient……**

_Sorry……I know I shouldn't doubt you……_

Three minutes and fourteen seconds later, the water moved away, opening a path for the human and the Digimon.

**See?**

_Pauline, you have no idea how much I love you._

**Believe me, I know……**

Takeru smiled and cursed himself at the same time. Maybe that was his mistake: he had made Pauline too……fit for him. Shaking away the uncomfortable thoughts, Takeru began walking down the stairs.

Several minutes later, he arrived to the front door. He thanked God he knew his way around the rather big house. He knocked and waited for the man to appear. He wondered what Gennai had done: had he returned to be the weird old man he met at the age of seven, or he had stayed as the young, handsome man with the hood he met several years later.

His question was soon answered. A young tall man opened the door in front of him, but he wasn't wearing the clothes Takeru had seen the last time. He was wearing the traditional kendo outfit, except for the head protection and the kendo stick, of course. Takeru smiled as he saw the puzzled expression on Gennai's face. It probably wasn't usual for the wise database not to recognize someone at first sight.

"Who……who are………?"

He stopped when he saw the Patamon on Takeru's right shoulder. The Digimon replied with a simple 'Hi' and Gennai walked a few steps back.

"You……you……you!"

"What's wrong, Gennai? You look as if you had just seen a ghost."

"You…….you……TK!"

Takeru's expression hardened. "I'd rather be addressed as Takeru for now on, okay?"

Gennai, whose face was incredibly pale (hard to believe, huh?), simply nodded in response. Takeru walked inside the house.

"Umm……do I have to take off my shoes?"

Gennai shook his head. "Oh, no……no! It's not necessary."

Takeru smiled and walked further inside and closer to the shocked Gennai. "Oh, come on, get over it!" Patamon shouted.

Suddenly, Gennai did something unexpected: he hugged Takeru. "We all thought……we all thought you were gone……"

"Yeah, yeah…" Takeru meekly replied, sheepishly patting Gennai's head. Takeru wasn't used to such closeness, as he hadn't experienced human contact in years. Gennai finally let go. "But……why?"

Takeru shook his head. There was no need for explanations. "I had my reasons. Believe me, it's better like this."

Gennai somehow believed him. "So……you know of the others?"

Takeru nodded as Gennai guided him further inside. "I keep track of them every once in a while. I didn't attend the weddings, of course, but I'm happy for Matt, Sora, Yolei and Ken. I also heard of Izzy finally scoring a big one."

Gennai chuckled. "Yeah, he showed me pictures. She's a real cutie, I must say."

"How would you know? You're a database!"

Both human and digital life-form laughed as they sat down on the floor. The table seemed ready for Gennai's breakfast, which seemed especially cooked for a battalion. Taking the cue, Takeru proceeded to join Gennai as he ate. Patamon soon started eating, too.

"So you know of Kari's……"

"Yes, I know……of her marriage……and her divorce."

"And what about…?"

"The baby? Yeah, I know. I told you, I know everything."

"So I guess you know about Tai."

Takeru noticed there wasn't even a hint of sadness on Gennai's expression. It only took him a second to understand why. He had just met someone he had thought dead for years. He obviously thought………

Takeru nodded……and then shook his head. It was everything Gennai needed to see……and the sadness appeared. They all remained silent for a while.

"It's a shame……a real shame." Gennai said softly.

"Yeah………" Takeru replied. Tai's death had hurt him more than he would have liked to admit. He had actually risked his mission by watching the funeral from the shadows. Of course, the funeral was only symbolic, as they never found the body. That's why the tombstone didn't display the year of his death: because deep inside, the Kamiyas still had some hope left. Takeru wished he still had as much hope as them. _What happened to me?_

"So……what brings you here fourteen years later?" Gennai finally asked. Takeru smiled and gave the database the second big surprise of the day.

"I want you to tell me everything you know about Project Asmodeus."

Gennai spat the rice he had in his mouth.

*****Henry's Bedroom*****

Terriermon looked at Henry one last time before jumping out of the bed. His Tamer had stayed up until very late checking on Takato's progress, which was null, so he was sleeping peacefully. Janyuu had already left for work and the rest of the family was either shopping (in the case of Henry's mother) or at school. The Tamers (except for Takato, of course) would return to classes the next day. Lopmon was out checking on Guilmon.

The small rookie sat on the chair and turned on the computer. He hated betraying his Tamer's trust like that, but the mission was more important that their friendship, no matter how strong it were. He especially hated keeping secrets from his Tamer, as he thought Henry deserved to know the truth, but……was Henry ready for the truth? No, Henry, or anyone else for that matter, couldn't know who he really was……yet.

Once the operating system was set, Terriermon launched the program. He had kept it as a hidden file and password-protected, but he still found it amusing neither Henry nor Janyuu had discovered it yet. He guesses he was just lucky. The program, which was not very user-friendly (but what else can you expect, it was made by Terriermon!), asked for instructions.

**Welcome to D-Sweeper. Engage Main Utility? Yes/No**

Terriermon selected 'yes'. A window immediately popped up with all series of weird annotations, numbers and markings only Terriermon understood.

**Establishing Basic Sweep Parameters……done.**

**Replacing Old Logs on Latest Sweep……..done.**

**Initializing Polar Adjustment Algorithm...done.**

**Readjusting Interference Breakers……….done.**

**Starting sweep………………………………1%**

Terriermon patiently waited for the D-Sweep to do its work. The D-Sweeper basically scanned every area of the Digital World and adjacent subsections to look for abnormalities on its structure. It didn't care about the Digimon, but about the 'terrain' itself. The best signal of an incoming problem was the damage the Digital World had received in a certain area, considering the multiple layers of protection the Digital World actually had. That was precisely how Terriermon had predicted the arrival of the Nightmare a few days before it appeared. He had obviously not shared his information with the Tamers, as he had carefully decided. However, Doumon's appearance was a surprise, and Terriermon was genuinely worried about that. If the D-Sweeper hadn't detected it, it was a great problem. What if next time something worse arrived unnoticed?

**Starting sweep------------------------------------23%**

Terriermon looked at his sleeping Tamer. What would Henry say if he found out who his partner really was? Terriermon knew Henry would eventually find out, but by then everything should be over. Terriermon's secret would be revealed after the day of the Prophecy……if they survived it, that is. The small Digimon closed his eyes, feeling the familiar power flowing inside him. The unique algorithm that made him completely different from any other Terriermon. From any other Digimon, for that matter. He opened his eyes again and checked the computer screen.

**Abnormal reading at 8FF1-B455.**** Details? Yes/Continue/Stop Sweep**

Terriermon read the message several times before making a choice. Abnormal readings were usually indicated by a beeping, but Terriermon had disabled that option, so that the noise didn't wake up Henry. Terriermon decided to go on with the sweep in case there were more anomalies. The Log would help him work of that precise abnormality later.

"Momentai, Terriermon. Momentai……" he said to himself.

However, the sweep was finished without any further warnings. Terriermon immediately proceeded to work on the warning he had gotten, making sure the sound of his paws against the keyboard didn't wake Henry up. 

**Abnormal energy readings……code Akiyama identified……discarding Crest of Patience protocols……source of abnormality……Area 0**

_Area 0, huh?_ We've never had troubles with that one before……Code Akiyama………we're screwed. Big time. __

Terriermon closed his eyes, giving deep thought to the situation. As usual, he knew he couldn't tell the Tamers, especially Takato. They would have to deal with it when it came. The question was: would they be able to?

*****Gennai's*****

"I don't know how it started. One day we had no idea of it and the next day we were willing to do it no matter the cost. It was almost……a revelation from above."

Takeru smiled and nodded. So Gennai received the instructions from an unknown source. He guessed it was probably the Dragon God's doing. Gennai continued.

"We even hid it from Azulongmon. It was almost as if our lives depended on it. Now that I think about it, I have no idea why we thought it was so important."

Gennai finished his tea and got up. Takeru followed him to his "office", a vast gathering of data. "We discovered the text of the Ultimate Prophecy. The Digi-Destined's trials were a kid's game compared to what the Ultimate Prophecy says. Of course, you wouldn't understand."

Takeru chuckled. "I guess you're right. You can't compare what we did in the past to what the Enlightened Ones will have to do in a few years."

Gennai's eyes widened. "How do you…!?"

Takeru shook his head. "Please go on."

Gennai knew that he wouldn't get any explanations from Takeru. "We thought that the six incarnations of the Ultimate Crests were already born, and we developed basic data patterns of such crests. They are the crests of Life, Justice, Patience……"

"………Power, Destruction and Chaos. I know. Could you please continue?"

Unable to understand how was it that Takeru knew what he knew, Gennai continued. "We created ten crests based on the data we got from the Ultimate Crests' algorithms. We called them the Sub-Crests, as they were nothing but secondary versions of the much more powerful Ultimate Crests."

"You're talking about our original crests, right?" 

Gennai nodded. "Indeed. But we had a problem with the Crest of Chaos. It was too unstable; we couldn't use its powerful attributes on the Sub-Crests. It was shame, indeed. Your lives would have been much easier with the power of the Crest of Chaos."

Patamon smiled and shook his head. "The Crest of Chaos is just far too powerful. Not just anybody can wield its power."

"Exactly. Besides, we had full records of the human world's history, so we could understand Chaos' influence across time, in his different incarnations. With a matter such as the Ultimate Prophecy, we couldn't afford to have any loose end. An uncontrollable Crest of Chaos would have put the dimension's fate in jeopardy."

"So you created Project Asmodeus." Patamon concluded.

Gennai nodded again. He walked to a large desk and sat behind it. Takeru looked at the bookshelves, records and other stuff in the room, and then looked at Gennai. "I need details, Gennai."

Gennai nodded. "Only if you tell me how is it that you know things even the Sovereigns ignore."

Takeru shrugged. "I'll talk……after you talk."

Gennai sighed, giving up. "We tried to understand Chaos' basic features and proceeded to design a body capable of containing such powers. To do that, we had to alter the basic DNA code so that it could hold much higher amounts of data, at least more than a common human. I guess you know of the data patterns in your genes."

"Yes, I know. You hid lots of things from us, Gennai."

"Anything for the sake of the mission, Takeru."

"Well, that's ancient history. Please go on."

"Once we altered the nitrogen bases and developed a new compound for the double helix's links, we found another problem."

"Let me guess: the mind."

"Yes, Takeru, the mind. We couldn't just create an empty body, as Chaos would never take it, and if he took it, that would have made things worse, as that body had enhancements that would allow Chaos to tap into his full power, a thing he was unable to do in his past incarnations when he was a common human."

"You had to create a whole human being, with a complete personality development."

"Yes, but…….our ability wasn't great enough to do something like that. The only choice we had left was to transfer the altered DNA 'patch' into a base DNA code. The host of the patch would have to inseminate a woman with his sperm and create an embryo. This embryo would be a normal human being……until the patch was activated, then the future boy or girl would have the necessary adjustments to become the Vessel of Chaos."

"Did you……design this personality?"

Gennai nodded. "Yes, we did. We idealized a boy……"

"Why a boy?" Patamon asked.

"Increased muscular mass, stamina and endurance."

"Oh……"

**So what happened to Takato?**

_Pauline!_

"…yes, a boy with a rather passive personality. We needed it that way so that he could tap into his true power at the right moment. An active boy would have discovered such powers at an early age, and maybe he wouldn't be prepared to deal with them."

_So that explain Takato's multiple problems concerning Chaos………he wasn't supposed to know of his existence until the Time of the Prophecy……_

"Asmodeus……" Gennai muttered.

"What did you say?"

"I said Asmodeus, Takeru. It was the name we gave that……alternate personality the Vessel would contain."

_Asmodeus_……__

**I'd rather keep calling him Gogglehead……**

_Pauline!_

Gennai waited for Takeru to tell him something, but the blonde was too busy analyzing the information he had just received.

_So there is Asmodeus……and there is Chaos………so………who is Takato?_

"So……when did you develop your plan?" Patamon asked.

"Huh?"

"Yeah! When did you do all that stuff you just said?"

Gennai was puzzled. "Patamon…….we never did it."

Now Takeru was shocked. "What?"

"As I told you, we only made idealizations. It was an extremely risky plan and included involving innocent people. It was against our moral code, Takeru. Besides……there was the problem of raising Asmodeus."

"What?"

"With one mind holding two different memories, two different personality traits and two different behavioral codes, Asmodeus would have gone through a severe psychological dilemma!"

"Identity crisis……"

"Yes, Takeru. He would have found himself unable to understand who he really was until the Day of the Prophecy. And when that time arrived, it would have been too much of a shock for him. No human being is prepared for something like that. There is no such thing as an ideal vessel."

_Tell that to Takato, Gennai……_

"……and that's everything. We put all the plans away and focused on the Digi-Destined and the Sub-Crests. Now it's your turn to talk, Takeru. How come you know so much about the Ultimate Prophecy and Project Asmodeus?"

Takeru looked down and then looked at Gennai. He had never been so confused. "Gennai………the Vessel exists."

"What!?"

Takeru nodded. "It seems like someone took your DNA patch, placed it in a man named Takehiro Matsuki, who soon after that had a son named Takato. Takato is the Vessel, Gennai."

Takeru witnessed how Gennai's face turned incredibly pale and how his body seemed to suddenly weaken. Takeru thanked God the database was already on a chair, because he would have probably fainted otherwise.

"No……impossible……we never………it must be a mistake……"

"It's not a mistake, Gennai." Patamon insisted. "It's different from the other incarnations. Chaos didn't just take control of it. Both personalities coexist in the same mind and body: Chaos and Asmodeus. It's exactly as you just told us."

Takeru and Patamon patiently waited for Gennai to get out of his shocked state.

"How……how old is he?"

"Twelve years old." Takeru replied.

"And has he……?"

"Yes, he knows of Chaos' existence…..with the disastrous results you expect. Asmodeus takes it incredibly well, though. It's admirable."

"Where……?"

"In the human realm connected to the Southern Quadrant." Patamon answered. 

"How………how did it……?"

"As you said, he was under too much psychological pressure, product of his active life as a Digimon Tamer." Takeru responded. 

"A Tamer!" Gennai shouted in shock. Takeru nodded. Gennai obviously knew of the way humans interacted with Digimon in every quadrant, so he knew exactly what a 'Digimon Tamer' was.

"It's……it's too much!" Gennai said in alarm. Takeru nodded for a second, and then he suddenly stopped.

"What is it, Takeru?" Patamon asked his friend. Takeru remained silent, but Patamon knew he was communicating with Pauline. Takeru finally looked back at his Digimon.

"Gennai has more visitors."

*****At the lake's shore*****

"This is so nice of him!"

Twenty-nine-year old Mimi Tachikawa cheerfully signaled the other Digi-Destined to follow her down the stairs. Palmon, Gomamon and Dr. Joe Kido, 31, was the first who followed her, soon followed by Gabumon, Biyomon and the Ishidas, Matt and Sora, both 30. Davis Motomiya, and Ken Ichijouji, both 27 went right behind the couple, followed by Veemon and Wormmon, while Kari and Yolei, 27 and 28, followed them close behind, busy taking care of their respective babies (if you watched the final episode of 02, you realize that Kari's child and Ken's and Yolei's first child look the oldest…weird, huh?) alongside Gatomon and Hawkmon. Cody Hida, 26, and Koushiro Izumi, 30 closed the group with their Digimon partners, Tentomon and Armadillomon. Cody looked at Izzy with a puzzled look, and Izzy replied with a nod.

"I know Gennai is always prepared for our arrival, but this time we didn't inform him. How is it that the stairs are prepared?" the redhead explained.

Ignoring their thoughts, they followed their friends down the stairway and reached Gennai's submarine residence. Mimi, still leading the group, reached the door first and knocked.

"Gennai, it's me, Mimi! I brought cookies!"

The others smirked at Mimi's remark. But they couldn't blame her. Her cookies and cakes were a delicacy. Nobody answered and the Digi-Destined finally gathered around Mimi. A voice finally spoke from inside.

"Come in! It's open."

The Digi-Destined looked at each other with puzzled looks. "That's definitely not Gennai's voice." Sora concluded. Digi-Destined and Digimon nodded in response. Mimi opened the door and they all entered. There they saw Gennai……and a blonde man with a Patamon.

"Takeru!" Matt immediately exclaimed. Takeru smiled.

"We meet again, brother."

Patamon jumped off Takeru's shoulder and landed on the floor to be surrounded by the other Digimon. "Patamon!" Armadillomon shouted happily.

"Patamon………"

"Hey, there, Gatomon! Looking good as always! Hello, everyone!"

Takeru was going through a similar situation with his former Digi-Destined colleagues. "Matt, you weren't seeing things!"

"Hey! I resent that, Sora!"

Takeru laughed loudly at Sora's remark. It was the first time he did that in several years, actually. "No, Sora. Neither Hikari nor your husband were seeing things that day at the coffee shop. I hope your financial problems are being solved, Kari."

Hikari nodded sheepishly. "Umm……yeah. Thanks for your help."

Takeru let go a gentle smile. "You're welcome-ouch!"

Mimi was pinching his left cheek. "Hey, it's really you!" Mimi exclaimed before hugging him tightly. _That makes two in a day……_

**AHEM!**

_What?_

**……MAKE HER STOP!**

_Pauline, are you jealous? You know you're the only girl I have in my mind……literally!_

**Very funny………**

"Yes, Mimi, I'm made of flesh and bone……and could you please stop it? Pauline is getting jealous."

While Patamon laughed as if there were no tomorrow, the Digi-Destined and Digimon looked at Takeru in shock. "Pauline?"

Davis was the first to react. "So you finally hooked up, TK? Good for you!"

Takeru sweatdropped, ignoring Pauline's embarrassed giggling in his mind. "I appreciate your finally calling me by my correct nickname, Davis, but I'd rather be addressed as Takeru from now on. And no, I haven't hooked up with anyone. Actually, I'm still a virgin."

A massive "WHAT!?" followed that sentence.

**Why the hell did you said that?**

_I don't know!_

Matt was already approaching him to complain when Takeru stopped him. "THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT! Anyway, this is Pauline."

Takeru took off his coat, finally revealing the artifact covering his right arm.

"The Omnivice!" Izzy shouted excitedly. Takeru nodded in approval of Izzy's words. Gennai tried to remember where he had heard that word before.

Izzy had already gotten next to Takeru, examining the Omnivice. "It looks better than our prototype! Does it……?"

"Yes, it has everything we thought of, Izzy: enhanced Digimon-Human interaction, real-time Digimon boosts, holographic Digimon Analyzer, built-in map of the entire Digital World, high-precision radar for Digimon detecting, and a personal favorite……personalized AI. Say hello to Pauline."

Izzy's eyes were practically glowing with excitement. "Artificial Intelligence! Does it really have its own personality?"

Takeru nodded again. "She's really cute…but a little jealous, though. However, there's no way I could live without her."

**Aww**…Takeru, I love you too!!!****

Izzy's smile changed to a smirk. "So it's a female, huh? Takeru, I had no idea……"

Takeru immediately blushed. "Don't get ideas!"

Patamon returned to Takeru's shoulder with the same smirk as Izzy. "Come on, TK, Pauline's the closest thing to a girlfriend you've ever had."

"Patamon! I've never been, and I'm not interested in having a girlfriend!"

Patamon insisted. "For the same reason you left Odaiba twelve years ago, huh?"

"PATAMON!"

But it was too late. Patamon had touched the same subject the Digi-Destined had thought about for the last twelve years.

"Patamon has a point, Takeru." Ken started.

"Why did you do it, brother?"

Takeru didn't want to talk about it. "I had my reasons."

"But you didn't even think of your family!" Joe insisted.

"And what about us!? What about……me? First you, then my brother……I barely could go on with my life after that!"

Takeru avoided Kari's gaze as she said those words. She expected him to let go and open his heart to them, but his answer was the end of the discussion.

"I had my reasons……" Takeru said, and then he faced Sora with a hardened expression. "…and I'm sure Tai had his reasons, too."

Nobody heard Sora's gasp when she heard those words.

"Now I remember!" Gennai finally shouted. Everyone looked at their not-very-normal friend.

"Azulongmon told me about that Digivice a month ago. He told me of a kid with incredible powers who had one of it."

Takeru's gaze was enough of an answer. "Oh my God……it was him, right? The Vessel!"

"Whoa, now what are we talking about?" A puzzled Davis asked. Both Gennai and Takeru ignored him and returned to the important topic: Chaos and Asmodeus.

"Yes, Gennai. Actually, Azulongmon was referring to the second time Chaos manifested himself in Takato's body. He and his Digimon partner fused into a Mega Digimon named ChaosGallantmon and fought both Azulongmon and Zhuquiaomon, easily attaining victory."

Gennai, the Digi-Destined and the Digimon were left with their mouths wide open.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what kind of story is that!?" Tentomon commented. "No normal Mega could handle two Guardians at the same time!"

Takeru ignored the insect Digimon. "But it only gets worse. At Chaos' first manifestation, he forced his partner to digivolve to an alternate Mega Form, Megidramon."

"Megidramon!?" Gennai asked in a mixture of fear and shock. "Megidramon, the Dark Dragon? One of the four Great Dragon Digimon!?"

Takeru nodded. "Yes, and he did the same in his third manifestation. The fourth manifestation was a few days ago, but he just fought a few wild Digimon. The fifth manifestation was a few hours ago."

"What happened!?" Gennai asked.

"Chaos attacked the other Digimon Tamers and easily defeated them. He would have killed them if Asmodeus hadn't stopped him on time."

"I see……" Gennai replied, analyzing what Takeru had just told him. The Digi-Destined and their Digimon were just……there.

"Can anyone tell us what's going on!?" Joe insisted, but got no response. The Digi-Destined resigned to listen to Takeru and Gennai, even if they didn't understand a word of what they said.

"Asmodeus is in great danger, Gennai."

"What do you mean?"

"He fell into a coma right after that holding Chaos. Every time Chaos takes control of the Vessel he grows stronger, while Asmodeus gets weaker every time he tries to control Chaos' destructive impulses. At this rate, Asmodeus will die and Chaos will obtain total control of the Vessel."

Gennai shook his head. "That won't happen. Chaos will die if Asmodeus dies."

"WHAT!?" Both Takeru and Patamon shouted at the same time. Gennai nodded.

"You keep thinking as if the problem were a simple case of split identity or as if Asmodeus and Chaos were two different beings…" (A/N: Example time! The first case is Fei and Id from Xenogears and the second is Yugi and Yami Yugifrom Yu-Gi-Oh! By the way, both Xenogears and Yu-Gi-Oh! rock! And Id is the coolest villain ever!)

Takeru looked at Gennai with great attention. What the database said next could be the key they needed.

"Asmodeus and Chaos are the SAME being in every sense. The mind can't comprehend the idea, so it handles them as two separate behavioral patterns, but both Asmodeus and Chaos are just separate parts of a whole being: the Vessel's true self…….let's call it……Takato. Takato is the owner of the body, and such body needs its soul to work. If a part of the soul disappears, the whole will be gone."

Takeru nodded as he assimilated the new info. "So…what must he do?"

"The solution is not getting rid of Asmodeus or Chaos, Takeru. The Vessel won't be able to develop in such a troubled environment. He needs peace and space so that Asmodeus and Chaos learn to work as a whole……as Takato. Only once 'Takato' is formed he'll be able to face the challenges of the future without fearing for his stability."

**He's asking for a miracle……**

Gennai brought a new topic. "This……Digivice of yours…….you said it has Artificial Intelligence, right?"

"Yes."

"So I guess you have a second personality living in your mind."

Takeru nodded again. "Exactly. Her personality traits develop in my mind. That's why I'm the only one who can communicate with her."

**And I wouldn't like it any other way! It's just the two of us this way, Takeru, dear…**

Takeeru ignored Pauline's attempts at seduction. Gennai continued. 

"Does……the Vessel have an Artificial Personality, too?"

"Yes, he has one, too."

"Is it a female, too?"

Takeru nodded again. "Both Omnivices were programmed that way."

"It must be tough, having Asmodeus, Chaos and the Omnivice in the same head." Patamon commented.

"How can they work?" Gennai inquired.

"They feed on the owner's energy supplies to work."

Gennai nodded. "That third trait……the AI……she could be of help. Maybe she can help making Asmodeus and Chaos merge together."

Takeru shrugged. "I think Asmodeus would be willing to try. Chaos is another story."

Takeru remained silent for a minute, realizing Gennai had told him everything he knew……and it was everything Takeru needed to know.

"Well, I think we're done, Gennai. Thanks for your cooperation."

Gennai nodded. "It's the only thing I can do. If the Vessel is alive, then dark times are upon us. But you still haven't answered my question, Takeru."

Takeru immediately got up and hurriedly walked to the main entrance.

"Who are you, Takeru Takasihi, and how is it you know some many things!?"

The blonde man immediately stopped to look at Gennai. The Digi-Destined looked at him, too.

"I'm Takeru Takaishi, bearer of the Crest of Justice."

"Justice? TK, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Shut up, Davis!" Patamon replied. The shocked expression on Gennai's face made things worse for the Digi-Destined.

"A……an Enlightened One!" Gennai shouted. Takeru nodded. "Yes, Gennai. Now if you excuse me, I have things to do."

**Things like…?**

_Getting out of here, for example…_

Gennai began to laugh right before Takeru left. "I guess that explains it."

"What?"

"I had heard rumors of a man your age with a Digimon roaming around the place. I dismissed them until today, Takeru."

"I see. Farewell, Gennai, Digi-Destined, Chosen Digimon." Takeru said before closing the door behind him.

Takeru proceeded to walk up the stairs when……

"Takeru!"

_Kari?_

Takeru turned back to meet……

"Sora? What is it?"

Sora stood right in front of Takeru and faced him with a sharp look.

"Do you blame me for Tai's death?"

Takeru sighed in relief and gave away a gentle smile. "Of course not. You have the right to love whoever you want, Sora Ishida."

Sora sighed and smiled back. It was good to have things settled.

"But that doesn't take out the fact that you were an indirect cause. I'm sorry, Sora."

Sora nodded. It was better than nothing. Takeru looked at the saddened Sora and did something unexpected: he hugged her. They stayed like that for half a minute.

"Take care of my brother."

"You know I will. Take care of yourself……wherever you're going."

"Don't worry about me. We'll meet again, Sora."

Takeru let go and continued his way up the stairway when something stopped him.

_"I had heard rumors of a man your age with a Digimon roaming around the place. I dismissed them until today, Takeru."_

Takeru thought about it for a second. _The Digimon should be supposed to know of my existence, and those who knew shouldn't have told anything to anyone……then……what does it mean?_

For a strange reason, Takeru looked back at Sora, who was already walking back inside the house. It took him several seconds to link the ideas into am incredible conclusion. Little he knew that conclusion would determine the lives of many people: Sora's, Matt's, Kari's, Ken's, Takato's……and his own.

_Tai………you bastard!!!_

*****Infinity*****

High atop the skies of Infinity, between the stormy clouds and the place where lightning were created, the Dragon God rested. The leader of the Triad considered the most recent events. Being a God, he already knew of Terriermon's discoveries, Takeru's meeting with Gennai and the Digi-Destined, and most important of all, Takeru's discovery regarding Tai……which was something he had always known. He knew everything that happened, even if he kept some of them as a secret, even to his fellow Triad members. Closing his eyes, he gathered data in front of him, data that took the shape of an Omnivice.

The new Omnivice was mostly black, but its darkness shone with the lightning, creating an amalgam of colors on its surface. While most of the surface and buttons were black, the area around the screen was white as chalk. The Dragon God smiled at its creation. He had to admit Takeru had made quite a useful toy.

"Go, Blackpearl Omnivice. Go meet your master."

The Omnivice disappeared with a bright light. Once that was settled, the giant Dragon moved to the urgent matter of his finest creation: the Vessel. He was genuinely worried about Asmodeus, and he had to think of a way to avoid situations like the last one. He began talking to himself.

"Chaos has a point when he says the Tamers' influence alters they behavior in a negative way. However, it is compensated with the fact that the Tamers also give Asmodeus priceless moments of happiness. But as long as things stay like this, he'll grow dependent of the Hazard's power, which is something I can't allow. Asmodeus and Chaos must control the Hazard, not the opposite. Only then Takato will be born. But…how?"

He silently thought about the situation.

"His feelings give him strength but limit him at the same time. I must find a way to eradicate those limitations so that both Asmodeus and Chaos can mature by themselves."

He compared the info he acquired from Gennai with what he already knew to design a plan. It would be painful, but it was their best choice. He knew more than one person would complain…he knew Takeru would complain, but he didn't care. After all, he was always the one with the final word. It was the best for everyone. He was sure of it.

**THE END**

************************************************************************

************************************************************************

DR: Done! Woo-hoo! Only one story left!

Terriermon: A big, catastrophic, tear-jerking story left……

DR: YES! And the Tamers Forever will be over! Yahoo! I'll finally be able to start my main Digimon Tamers project! And my Yu-Gi-Oh! project will be up very soon! It's time to party!

*Party starts*

**Next on Tamers Forever: **The concluding story of the Tamers Forever series will obviously match the quality of the previous works, by bringing you a drama of immense proportions. Daemon arrives to Shinjuku after Takato, who is still in the hospital, and the Tamers seem to be no match against him, not even with Takeru fighting by their side! With no other choice but escaping, Rika takes Takato to the Digital World, where they can hide together from Daemon and the evil plans he has in store for Takato. Will Asmodeus ever wake up? And if he does, will Daemon find Rika before he does? Will the Tamers survive the battle? What they ignore is that it will be their last fight……as a team. Soon on Fanfiction.net, the amazing conclusion to the Tamers Forever series: Silent Sorrow.

Daneel Rush (daneel_ff@hotmail.com)


End file.
